


USS Abyss

by spike_spiegels_nutt



Category: Star Trek
Genre: F/F, Original Character(s), Other, Series, Star Trek References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 15:30:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 41,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18479107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spike_spiegels_nutt/pseuds/spike_spiegels_nutt
Summary: The first on-going series of my original Trek cast. The USS Abyss, manned by the logical-yet-passionate Captain Yen and co., embarks on its ten year journey of rekindling old friendships and making new alliances. The crew find themselves tested on their ethics, philosophies, and loyalties time and again.





	1. Episode One: Poker Face

The colossal ship floated serenely, looking very much to Andersen like a great cracked egg amongst the stars. He stared intently at the data display screen, exploring the exterior of the Drake with meticulous care. His communicator chirped brightly, and his hand reflexively reached for where it lay on the table, robotically flipping it open.  
“This is Andersen.”  
“Andersen, Lt. Xie speaking. Ready position to beam aboard the USS Drake.”  
“Aye-aye, Sir.”  
The data display screen clicked off and Andersen stood, signaling to Kline to begin prepping for transport.  
“You know,” Kline began, his voice an irritatingly calm timbre, “when I first received command, I though it was a joke.” Andersen nodded and made a small derisive snort.  
“Wouldn’t be the first time the Bridge pulled that kinda shit on us.”  
Kline opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by three other men entering the Transporter Room, the door sliding with a satisfying whoosh.  
“Ready to beam over two.” a tall, dark-skinned man said flatly. The two others began to mutely operate the panel of switches. Kline gave Andersen a wry smile and turned to walk towards the Transporter, Andersen following a step behind. The two men stood apart on dark circles and kept still as the three others continued to flip switches.  
“Transporting.”  
Andersen had finished a quarter of a blink when the Transporter simply vanished and was replaced with the strewn wreckage of a different one almost instantaneously. He quickly looked behind him to confirm that his companion had made it safely. Kline was still smiling, hand close to the phaser at his hip. Again, Andersen’s comm chirped and he flicked it open fluidly, tuning the signal so the chatter died away and Lt. Xie’s voice could be heard clearly.  
“This is a retrieval mission, men. We don’t know how damaged the ship is, so you’ll need to be careful as you look for the main data export of the bridge. Collect the data, then hail us to beam you back. Don’t go looking for trouble. Questions?” Xie’s voice was crisp and not unkindly, one that conveyed business at the exact moment, but hinted at a usually playful demeanor. Andersen looked to Kline who gave a curt head shake.  
“No, sir. Retrieval mission a go.”  
“Xie out.”  
Andersen pocketed the comm as the line went dead, and motioned Kline forward, away from the Transporter and into the heaping rubble. Just with a look around, Andersen could see that the damage to the ship was deep and vast, a sure sign that this was no simple touch-and-go mission like they had both secretly been hoping.  
“Looks like massive damage to the circuitry here. Keep away from wires, we have no idea whether or not they still might be live.”  
Kline gave Andersen a semi-incredulous look. “Live? This ship’s been here for almost six years. That’s long enough to die out with no one keeping an eye on it.” Andersen pursed his lips as he cleared a path for them to leave the room, careful to avoid the ripped wiring of the deck.  
“Did you not read the briefing report?” Andersen knew without turning that Kline was shaking his head. Muttering darkly under his breath, Andersen lead the way out into the hallway and down towards the splintered lift door. “Since you obviously don’t care about the briefing, I don’t see the need to tell you what it said.” Andersen said matter-of-factly, pulling out a flashlight to look into the empty shaft.  
“Awwwww, c’mon Andy!” Kline wheedled, using the pad of his index finger to jab lightly into Andersen’s armpit.  
“Stop that.” Andersen said with an exasperated sigh. When Kline continued the motion so that Andersen couldn’t focus on finding a way up through the shaft, he turned around and held the flashlight up to both of their faces, creating an eerie lighting on both of the men’s features. “When the Drake entered this nebula six years ago, they were led wayward from their course by a distress call from a neighboring vessel, one not of the Federation class. When they came to help, their comms went dead.” Andersen flicked the flashlight off, and both men stood in a deep silent darkness for a couple beats.  
“So?” Kline said.  
“So what?”  
“So, what happened?”  
“We don’t know.”  
“What do you mean, ‘we don’t know’?”  
“Well, that’s just it,” Andersen replied evenly, pulling out his borrowed Tricorder, “we have no data on the event. We don’t know why their ship went dead. We don’t know what caused the wreck. We don’t know why it took so long to respond to the wreckage.”  
Kline fell silent as Andersen began winding his way away from the lift.  
“Who sent the distress call?”  
“Who indeed?” Andersen answered absently, still clutching the Tricorder closely to his face. He wasn’t a Science Officer, dammit. Kline lapsed into another silence, one that stretched as he thought deeply. Andersen cleared his throat and began walking with more purpose, clearly having found a way into the bridge. As Kline crawled under a fallen beam after Andersen, the other man’s voice wafted back down to him like butterfly.  
“But ask yourself… why haven’t we seen any bodies?” Kline’s throat contracted and his mouth went dry. The sudden realization that there had been no bodies on a 1,000+ manned vessel was terrifying. Before Kline could spiral into any sort of panic, Andersen sighed in relief.  
“Found it.” Fingering the space on the side of the wall, Andersen’s fingers brushed a panel and Andersen set out on removing it, calling for Kline’s help as they wrested the bent metal from the wall and set it down on the ground. Andersen gripped the light in his teeth and thrust his hands into the open panel, fidgeting around. Beads of sweat began to spring up on his forehead as his concentration deepened. Then, with a cry of victory, the door jolted open, jagged and still managing to open just wide enough for a man to slip through. Both men scrambled through the gap and allowed their eyes to adjust to an even deeper blackness in a stairwell. At the top of the stairwell was another panel that had to be “picked” and, finally, the two found themselves in the mess that was the Captain’s Bridge. The sight depressed the men. Control panels were ripped to shreds, buttons and switches scattered on the floor. The banners were twisted scrap metal now and the Captain’s Chair was torn from its root in the ground and was smashed into a pulp in the corner. The sight of it brought a lump in Andersen’s throat.  
“C’mon,” Kline said gruffly, “let’s finish what we came in here to do.” Nodding, Andersen located the dataPort and inserted his Tricorder’s cord. A faint light began to glow from the Port and Andersen released a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding in. To have to have seen all this and come up empty-handed? That would’ve been a very cruel joke.  
The entire retrieval took around thirty minutes, each men idly fidgeting to pass the time. Small talk would’ve been strained and unpleasant, so they kept their mouths shut. After what seemed like centuries of dark silence, the Tricorder hummed its completion and Andersen hastily removed it from the Port, clasping the side shut and shoving the strap back around his shoulder.  
“I’ll hail Xie.”  
Kline nodded in relief at having completed the mission. He waited as Andersen connected the signal to the Abyss, looking around again at the bridge. As Andersen finally connected to Xie, Kline was disturbed by a small noise from outside the bridge door. Pulling his phaser he inched towards the entrance cautiously. He and Andersen were, after all, Red Shirts, and recon and defense was part of their strongest training. Old habits die hard. 

***

Lt. Xie was reclined in his Bridge chair at the helm, lackadaisically holding his comm in one hand and operating his part of the ship’s drive with his left boot. His counterpart, Ensign Darh’el shot him a dirty look as Xie pushed another touch panel with his other boot, shooting Darh’el a wicked smile.  
“This is Lt. Xie.”  
“Lt. Xie, this is Andersen. Kline and I have completed the retrieval mission.”  
“Excellent. Send coordinates and we’ll have you beamed aboard in no time.” There was a silent crackle at Andersen’s end, then some distant talking, sounding very much like loud chastising. Xie smiled but rolled his eyes, tuning his comm.  
“I said, send coor-“ Xie dropped his comm on the helm as a series of shrill, desperate screams came from his comm. The rest of the crewmen on the bridge stopped in shock as Xie fumbled on the ground for his comm.  
“Andersen! Andersen do you read!? What is the current situ-!” Xie’s comm gave one final shrill scream, the scream of someone arm in arm with a painful end, and then went dead. The entire bridge was shell-shocked for a moment, then Xie leaned forward to flip on the ship’s main announcement comm.  
“This is Lt. Xie. Captain Yen, First Officer Krell, and Security Chief Cassidy to the bridge immediately.”

***

Space.

The Final Frontier. 

These are the voyages of the Starship Abyss.

Her eternal mission: 

To explore new worlds,

Establish friendships among life,

To boldly go where no one has gone before. 

 

 

 

“Captain’s Log: Stardate 41706.14. After receiving orders from Fleet Command to venture to the wreckage of the USS Drake for retrieval, it seems the old wives’ tales of siren distress calls may be true. Two of my men, Andersen and Kline, have been unreachable since we made contact with them after their mission. I am presuming them to be dead. I am sending a team comprised of Cassidy, Dr. Ailee, and First Officer Krell to venture into the wreckage to see what has come of them. They prepare for the worst.”

***

The doors to the bridge pulled open and Captain Yen briskly walked into the room, nodding slightly to her crew to stand at ease. Instead of making her way to her Captain’s Cahir, which lay in the direct center of the room, she motioned for Ensign Darh’el and Lt. Xie to follow her. She led them to the small room adjacent to the bridge, a hidden door nestled tightly between control panels. The room was furnished basely, with a high circular table that seemed to float in the air and eight chairs without legs that rested on the floor. Everything was beige, except for a huge screen that took the entire wall on the opposite side of the room, which was black. Another black item in the room, a medium-sized floating cube, rested lazily in the centre of the table. Three of the chairs were occupied and had risen to the height of the table, and the Captain gestured for Xie and Darh’el to take seats as well, each following her example by sitting cross-legged in the chairs on the floor and sitting still as it rose in the air to meet the others. Out of the now-six people in the room, Captain Yen was the only one who wore green. The shirt was more of a wrap, with gold filaments adorning the sleeves in the three-tiered Captain’s fashion. The Abyss’ symbol—a breaking star—flashed proudly on the bottom of the shirt.  
Two of the others in the room wore red, a bright and bold shade, especially against the beige of the room. Of the two, one was a long, lithe man with deep brown skin and a long black beard which came to his stomach. He wore a red turban on his head and sat with such rigid stillness that one could have easily mistook him for an incredibly vibrant and life-like statue. Only his eyes, which seemed to be constantly sweeping and scanning the room and those in it, indicated that he was, in fact, alive. The other person uniformed in red was as opposite of their counterpart as a Tribble to a Gorn. A woman of about thirty was crouched with both feet on the chair and her arms wrapped around her knees. She had long, sandy-brown hair that fell in waves more fluid than a waterfall, and wore a lopsided grin that seemed to be at the expense of the aforementioned turbaned man, who was pointedly ignoring the woman. The hair, while wild, did nothing to hide the strong ridges on her forehead, a feature that always drew people’s attention wherever she went. Her red shirt was rolled casually up to the elbows and she was so seemingly nonchalant that she seemed almost out of place next to the stoic man. While his energy was ice-like and firm, hers was hot and sudden like lightning.  
Next to the two of them was the only blue shirt at the table and the oldest, an older woman with ringlets of bombshell blonde hair that was beginning to grey at the roots. There was something about the way she was sitting that suggested that she didn’t give a rat’s ass as to why she was there, but it had better be a good reason. Her arms were folded tightly against her chest and her lips seemed to be stuck in a semi-permanent purse. Rounding out the representation was two yellow-shirts, Xie and Darh’el, Xie with his boyish smile and carefully tousled hair, and Darh’el who looked especially menacing next to Xie as he sullenly sat next to Captain Yen, avoiding the eye contact of all there. The bumpy ridges on his pale-blue skin crawled and dipped and came to a center on his forehead, where there was a deep dent the shape of a teardrop above his eyes.  
In all, the six made a a worldly sight.  
“Darh’el,” the Captain spoke in a firm tone that seemed to be impossible to ignore, “close the door.”  
“Yes, Captain.” The boy who was, at most, 15, dutifully hopped down from the chair and solidly closed the door before returning to his seat. The six shared a moment of silence, until the Captain silently held out her hand and the turbaned man reluctantly pulled out a 10 value credit and thrust it into her hand. The other five exploded into laughter.  
“It seems pretty cheap to be laughing while we have two missing crewmen.” the turbaned man grumbled, eliciting greater laughter from the others.  
“You’re the one who set the wager!” the woman in red shouted, fighting to catch her breath amongst the laughing. The laughter slowly petered out as the Captain raised her hand to attention, wiping an imaginary tear from one eye.  
“This is no laughing matter.” she said suddenly, and the look on her face was so stonily resolved that the remaining chuckling ceased immediately. She waved one hand and the screen on the back wall turned on, a picture of the ravaged Drake focusing into hi-res view.  
“Now we all knew that this mission was a slight by the Federation,” she began, her tone conveying immense anger. The inflection was reflected back at her by the sudden shift in expressions her crew wore. The shift was startling, like walking barefoot in scorching sand and then plunging them into ice water. “But it seems that Dead God himself was intent on making more trouble for our little ship.” She nodded once at Darh’el, who immediately gestured to the cube, which lit up with an identical image from that of the screen’s.  
“The USS Drake was an Ambassador-class Federation vessel sent on an expedition to the Neutral Zone for routine trade. Six years ago the ship was diverted through a received distress beacon from an unmarked civilian ship, and the Drake attempted to go off-course for rescue. Their lines to Command went dead, and we never knew what beam of them.” Darh’el said in clipped tones, swiping at the cube to display various different pictures and reports as he spoke.  
“Until we were close enough to do the Federation’s dirty work for them.” the woman in red snorted, snapping her fingers so the cube paused on a close-up of the Drake’s ravaged side. “It seems a bit suspicious that not a single ship was sent out here to do follow-up on a hefty Ambassadorial ship like the Drake.” The turbaned man opened his mouth to interject, but Captain Yen stopped him.  
“You’ll get your turn, Cassidy. We will all be as rapt with what you say as we are with what First Officer Krell says.” The man, Cassidy, shut his mouth immediately and continued to stare levelly at the First Officer. With the shadow of a smile, she continued.  
“If you look at the exterior damage, it’s obvious that this ship was attacked. Unless anyone wants to keep to the claim that it simply died out so close to enemy territory?” she emphasized the word “enemy” sardonically, and a few of the other people in the room shifted in slight discomfort. A sensitive subject for all, it seemed. Satisfied by the response, she relaxed into a smug silence.  
“ While I don’t deny that visual evidence suggests something the First Officer would have you all believe to be sinister, I would like to point out that there have been no readings of anyone classed as a terrorist in the past twenty years. If someone did attack the ship, then who?” Cassidy asked, face still seemingly impassive.  
“Only a fool does not believe her eyes.” the Captain responded absentmindedly, staring hard at her First Officer, who was picking at her nails but returning the intense gaze. Both women seemed to think for a minute as the others sat in silence around them. The atmosphere was tense, but comfortable. One could most closely compare it to a heavy yet respectful debating arena. There was no animosity as people shared opinions and insight. This room was the epicenter of everything the Captain and her inner crew held dear. It was the life-blood of what made the ship operate as one of the most notoriously well-oiled and fast-acting Ambassador-class vessels in the quadrant. Finally, the Captain lowered her seat to the ground and the other five followed suit, gathering to form another, smaller circle, more intimate.  
“I’ve read reports from you, Officer Krell, from you, Cassidy, and from Lt. Neesa. I have come to the decision that we should send a small crew of no more than three over to the Drake for recon on the whereabouts of our men. We know too little to plan for ambush, but the three sent in will be prepared for defense if need be.”  
“Why three?” Cassidy asked.  
“It would be easiest to move as a unit with less than four, but risky to send any less than three if there is any trouble onboard.”  
First Officer Krell raised an eyebrow. “Sounds a bit risky.”  
The Captain smiled a weary but warm smile in response. “Risk is our business, wouldn’t you say, Thia?” Thia smiled back just as strongly as the Captain did. Both of the women’s smiled waned a bit when the older woman cleared her throat loudly.  
“Yes, that’s all very rousing, Captain, but why did you call me here?” she said in a biting voice. “I have a million things I could be doing. I’m a doctor, not a strategist.”  
“Ah yes, well I figured that a bit of dead weight couldn’t hurt if there was a chance two men’s lives could be saved.” the Captain easily quipped back, and Xie and Thia snickered as the Doctor’s eyes narrowed in warning.  
“Any and all injured men may report to me in the sick bay where they can receive proper medical care.” she said promptly, moving as if to make an exit from the room.  
“I meant to imply that you would be joining the landing party over on the Drake, Doctor.”  
The Doctor froze and Thia let loose a bark of a laugh.  
“Joining-?”  
“Yes, you and First Officer Krell, and Security Chief Cassidy will comprise the search party over to the Drake.” Thia and Cassidy both blinked in surprise at the sudden nominations.  
“But, why us? Why not send over some Red Shirts? If the mission really is as simple as that, why not send over expendables?” Thia asked loudly, crossing her arms in aggravation. “I didn’t think you’d be sending important people, Ryann.” Ryann’s nostrils flashed briefly and she let out a breath in a long exhale.  
“Firstly, no one is an expendable member of my crew. Nobody. Secondly, it is because I trust you three so much that I send you over. I want no mistakes, and no fuss. It needs to be clean and simple. Anything short of such will only open us up for more reproach from the Federation. We’re already on thin ice as it is.” Cassidy nodded in agreement, the previous surprise already melted into approving agreement.  
“It seems a wise course of action.”  
The Doctor grumbled under her breath violently, and Ryann turned to her. “Ailee!” she cried out in mock display, “you’re never one to shy away from criticism! Squeak up, madam!”  
“I only said,” Ailee snarled, playing her part with vigor, “that perhaps if you hadn’t used up our three chances with the Federation on the Lar-Ya girl, your decision on Vintas, and how you treated command on their routine inspection, then we might not have ever been in this position to begin with.”  
The five others laughed good-naturedly and Ryann nodded in merriment. “Honesty is the best policy, Doctor, I’ve heard it’s good for the heart.” Whatever ill will that was expressed with the mission assignment vanished easily. Ryann smiled at Ailee, who gave a rueful smile back.  
“Anyways, Lt. Xie, we need a full report on the sequence of events from mission clearance to request to beam back.” Xie, the only person yet to speak in the room, coughed nervously and pulled notes out from his back pocket. Thia noted with some sadness that Xie was clearly rocked from the experience and events, not at all his usual bouncy and sly self.  
“At 01300 hours, Andersen and Kline were beamed aboard the Drake after a self-briefing. Torlack himself saw to their safe arrival on the vessel. The entire mission took an hour, at best guess 30 minutes for tracking and 30 minutes for collecting the data. At 01400 hours I received a hail from Andersen and asked for coordinates when our discussion was interrupted by screams. After that, the line went completely dead.” Xie nodded a bit at this last part and stepped back.  
“Seems almost idiotically simple. Something bad is really gonna happen.” Thia said shortly, and Cassidy sniffed in agreement.  
“Right. You have your instructions, yes? Are there any questions?” Captain Ryann said, placing her hands on her hips.  
“One,” Ailee said, holding up a finger. “What happens if their are hostiles on the ship?”  
“Shoot first.” Thia broke in, shrugging. Cassidy nodded mutely.  
“What she said,” Ryann echoed, “shoot first.”

***

After extremely quick trips to each of their quarters for extra supplies, Thia, Cassidy, and Ailee re-grouped at the Transporter Room, where the same dark-skinned man from the first landing crew’s journey met them.  
“Torlack.” Thia bowed in mock deference. The man, Torlack, wore a red to match Thia’s and Cassidy’s, and his high-arched eyebrows placed him in a state of perpetual interest. His ears formed to a point, much like the Captain’s, just a bit more exaggerated and severe. He hesitated before matching Thia’s bow, which delighted her greatly. Cassidy rolled his eyes and lifted Torlack up out of the bow and shook his head slightly.  
“We don't do that, Torlack.”  
“Oh.” Torlack said, his eyebrows pulling in confusion. “Another joke, perhaps?”  
“Add that to your collection.” Thia winked, and Cassidy sighed, turning from her and towards the Transporter. Wordlessly, the three positioned themselves on the dark circles and Torlack set to work pushing buttons and punching in coordinates. The scene fell away in an instant and Thia, Cassidy, and Ailee found themselves in the same scrapped room that Andersen and Kline had beamed into hours before.  
The difference in missions was apparent. While Andersen and Kline had taken their time assessing and making their way to the bridge, Thia had already plotted the fastest route to take. Where Andersen and Kline had fumbled their way through both conversation and the ship, Cassidy moved with astounding accuracy, no move wasted as he seamlessly cleared each checkpoint through the path. And as Andersen and Kline speculated and focused on the task at hand, Ailee was taking notes of the smallest detail on her Tricorder. The Captain had, as it was, picked the best people for the job. All in all, finding their way to the bridge took fifteen minutes. They came at a different entrance than Andersen and Kline had, so while Thia picked the panel to the door, Cassidy and Ailee hovered close.  
“See?” Thia said quietly, breathing somewhat hard from the concentration, “No bodies. Cassidy, if you had bet on this one that would’ve been 40 credits the Captain and I have taken from you in a week.” Cassidy made no reply, but his mouth quirked up slightly.  
“Good thing he’ll be kicking the habit soon, right Cass?” Ailee said, her voice dripping in its usual sarcasm.  
“Maybe we should focus less on my gambling habits and more on the task at hand.” Cassidy finally responded, knowing that the reply would only up the banter Thia threw at him.  
“Sounds like something an addict would say.” Cassidy couldn’t see in the dark very well, but he was sure Thia’s voice betrayed the smile on her face.  
“Got it.” Thia said instead of another dig at Cassidy, and Cassidy and Ailee retreated with her into the mangled bridge room. Fanning out, the three swept the room carefully, and Cassidy called out by the Port, calling Aille and Thia to him.  
“Oh god,” Thia said before she could stop herself, her nose wrinkling in disgust.  
“Seems my services weren’t needed.” Ailee said bluntly, and Thia shot her a look of anger before remembering it couldn't be seen in the dark. Cassidy was bent over the bodies of Andersen and Kline, a strained look painful on his normally impassive face. Thia examined the bodies, which were charred and twisted, bones splintered and entrails wrapped around one another, and knew that Cassidy was struggling to maintain a calm demeanor. Nothing ever got to him as much as wasted mens’ lives. His mens’ lives. She saw the movement of where his hand was and saw him clenching and unclenching a fist repeatedly.  
“Nothing to do but collect samples and mark them dead in the registry.” Ailee spoke again, and her voice echoed harshly in the somber silence that engulfed them. Thia shook her head, concern washing over her.  
“Ok so, we know that something attacked them. The questions are: who, why, and why leave the bodies behind?”  
Cassidy stroked his bead roughly. “I’m not really in the mood to match wits with you, Thia.”  
“I’m thinking aloud, as if you could match wits with me.” Thia shot back, irritated. “There’s too much that’s wrong with this picture. Instead of dwelling on something we can't help let’s focus on what can be prevented. Namely, our deaths.”  
Ailee sauntered back to the pair with a bloody Tricorder in one hand. She held it up and waved it a bit. “Destroyed. But knowingly. Someone knew how to dispose of the data without shredding the entire device.” Thia sat back on her haunches, adding the new bit of info to the puzzle. The entire ordeal was maddeningly complex, mostly because it was so random. “There’s no pattern or anything to go off of.” She muttered under her breath. Behind her she heard Ailee pull out her comm and hail the Captain on a direct link.  
“This is Captain Yen.”  
“Captain, this is Doctor Ailee.”  
“Reading.”  
“We have located the bodies of Andersen and Kline. Data destroyed as well. I think the rest of this mission is a bust, Ryann.”  
“Dead?” the disappointment was evident in Ryann’s tone. “Did you find anything to indicate the cause?”  
“Obviously they were attacked, but we have seen no sign of life on the ship since we beamed aboard.  
“Well, it’s a pretty big ship, Doctor.”  
“Our orders weren’t to go looking for trouble. In fact, I explicitly remember you saying to not go looking for trouble.” There was a pause on the Captain’s end.  
“Very well, send coordinates and stand by to beam up.”  
“Aye, aye.”  
Thia was still hunched over in thought when Ailee announced their near departure back to the Abyss.  
“It was a shame we all wasted our time in coming here when we all knew what had happened.” Ailee said, pocketing her comm and standing over Thia.  
“Your manners are usually not stellar, but they’re really lacking today, Ailee.” Thia said, standing. Ailee snorted, not in the slightest upset over the comment. Thia was beginning to really dig into the woman when Cassidy stood rigid and silenced them with a terse “sh!” Thia heard it at once. There was a faint scraping sound, like metal being dragged slowly across metal. Thia’s expressions hardened and she quickly pulled out her phaser, motioning for the other two to do the same.  
“Set phasers to stun.” she whispered clearly. Thia was torn. The Captain had given instruction to beam back aboard, but the aggravation over not figuring out the mystery of the Drake was clawing at her brain so savagely that she was tempted to run towards the sound in a mad ambush. Thia motioned for the other two to follow her and circle back away from the bridge, hopeful that with enough space between them, they could beam up safely and call the mission quits. Cassidy moved in front, acting as a shield to the two women, who were slowly inching their way back towards the door they entered in from. The scraping noise grew louder. Five feet from the door, Ailee’s comm began to chirp loudly, the sound bouncing off the walls and absorbing the silence. Thia gave a panicked look to Ailee, who began fumbling with her pocket to turn off the comm. There was a drawn out moment where Ailee continued to scramble to turn off the comm, and finally the line went dead and the noise stopped. The entire ship seemed to hold its breath. When nothing happened, Thia once again motioned for the other two to begin moving again to the back of the ship. A foot from the door, Thia relaxed a bit, never letting her guard down, but allowing herself to believe that they were going to make it out. The door slid open behind them, and Thia turned to slide through it, walking straight into a phaser stun. In her state, she saw Cassidy and Ailee stunned, falling to the floor next to her, and a humanoid face with sharp teeth and a crescent slit scarring their forehead leered above her, smiling savagely. Then a boot came down on her face, and she let the blackness envelope her. 

***

Captain Ryann huffed, annoyed, as she instructed a short woman with short copper hair and a red shirt to hail the landing party again.  
“I’m trying, Captain, but there’s no answer. They’re either ignoring you or they’re in trouble.”  
“Well, Neesa, can you try again?”  
“Of course, Captain, already hailing.”  
“Led by Thia? They’re probably ignoring you.” Lt. Xie said from his seat at the helm, not bothering to even turn around.  
“They better not be or I’ll have them court marshaled.”  
“Hey, remember when you tried to have Neesa court marshaled?” Xie said earnestly, nudging Darh’el with his elbow. “And that was because she didn’t like that music video from the 2010’s you played her.”  
“Anyone who doesn't appreciate ‘Lucifer’ deserves to be court marshaled, Xie, and you’d do well to remember that next time I call your quarters in the middle of the night.”  
There was general laughter from around the room, and Ryann looked back at Neesa, who shook her head. “Nothing still.”  
“What could be taking them so l-“  
“Captain!” Neesa said suddenly, “Open frequency coming from the Drake.”  
“The Drake?” Ryann repeated, a deep frown settling into her features. “Allow transmission.”  
The screen on the bridge crackled and popped a few times as a grainy image began to materialize. Ryann’s frown deepened as a humanoid being with razor-sharp teeth smiled menacingly into the ship’s comm unit.  
“This is the Drake hailing the Abyss.” the person said almost mockingly, like a child playing war. “Come in, Abyss.”  
“This is Captain Yen of the USS Abyss. And what can I call you?” Ryann said, her voice hard as flint. Cordiality would be extended in good faith, but she had no illusions as to what this turn of events indicated.  
“You may call me…. hmm…” the person seemed to think on it for a moment before grinning again and answering, “Captain Chorgan of the USS Drake.”  
“I think not. You’ve no right to call yourself that and I wont demean myself in doing so. I’ll call you Chorgan.” Chorgan’s grin dropped slightly, but he plowed on.  
“Well, Captain, how’s that for Federation hospitality?” he chortled. Ryann’s temper flared briefly, but she fought it down and kept a cool face.  
“Where are my men?” Chorgan gave a disgusted look and he gestured behind him.  
“Found them lurking about as my luck would have it. It’s not very nice to poke around in other people’s business.”  
“I could say the same to you. I’m going to make this very short and very sweet, Chorgan. You have ten minutes to return my men to me in the state they arrived in.” Cordiality be damned.  
Chorgan’s face soured and he bared his teeth. “And you have ten minutes to come up with a more polite reply to my call or else I’ll send one of your men back a little worse for wear.”  
The comm went dead. 

***

“Captain’s Log: Supplemental. In locating the lost men, Thia, Cassidy, and Ailee have been captured and held by a group of ravagers Neesa has identified to be a broken sect of the Acamaranians. By my best speculation, this group is the siren call commonly heard around these parts, the one that led the Drake of course and to their doom. Negotiations are expected to follow.”

***

Ryann’s face did well not to betray her inward fury. She chatted idly with the Acamaranian known as Chorgan, and neither of them mentioned the current situation and instead exchanged pleasantries about current political tensions in the Neutral Zone or about space stations they had visited recently.  
“But,” Chorgan was continuing with relish, “I can’t go back to the Station out in Acamar system anymore, for obvious reasons, even though it really was a very nice place to dock for a little shore leave from time to time.”  
“And you can’t go back because…” Ryann led smoothly, but Chorgan’s eyebrows cinched together in annoyance.  
“My people and I experienced a falling out. Nothing to concern yourself with, I assure you.” Ryann huffed and shifted in her chair, crossing her legs.  
“Now, now, Chorgan, I thought we were past these simplistic turn-arounds.” She said chidingly, waving one hand in a dismissive gesture. “I can firmly tell you that I am concerned with the split your people experienced.” Chorgan continued to stare mutely at the Captain, who took the silence as her own. “You know what I think, Chorgan?” she bulldozed ahead, grabbing the clipboard given to her by Darh’el. She looked at it as she continued to talk in a steady voice. “I think that you split from the planet to become ravagers, excuse me, Gatherers, after your people refused to accept the peace talks amongst the clan leaders of Acamar.” She looked up pointedly into Chorgan’s cam, “Additionally, and this is pure speculation, you and your clan have taken up roosting in this quadrant, where you prey on vessels as they pass through. Almost entirely civilian class ships, of course, until you managed to raid a Federation Fleet ship. You cut their communication, beamed aboard, and killed good men and women.” Her eyes began to seep in a cold fury, and her voice became barely tinged with venomous anger. “And now you have the audacity to demand respect when you deserve none and you refuse to peacefully turn over my men back to me.” Chorgan opened his mouth, face alight with indignity, but Ryann stood quickly, and slapped her hand down on the arm rest of her chair. “Damn it, Chorgan, you will hear me! I am done playing your roundabout games. You have another ten minutes to beam my men safely back to my ship or else I will come aboard myself and cut the head from your body. Yen out.” Ryann motioned for Neesa to cut transmission, and as soon as the screen switched off, Ryann fell back into her chair, brooding.  
Neesa slid over to where she sat and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Captain, I think you may want to know a few things.” Ryann warily eyed the woman.  
“Things that may change my mind?” Neesa nodded once. Ryann lifted herself from her chair and walked to the conference room on the side, Neesa gliding after her.  
“Firstly, you may want to know that Chorgan’s particular clan did defect from the main group many years ago, yes, but not all of it was complete freedom of choice. Clan mentality is quite strong on their planet, and Chorgan’s was a weaker one, and the peace talks would’ve done nothing to help his people.” Neesa said, hands grasped behind her. She was unable to decipher whether or not the news made any sort of tactical impact on the Captain, so she continued. “Additionally, we don’t know what kind of lives they’ve lived after their exile, fringe-living is, at best, nomadic, and, at worst, savage.” The Captain nodded slowly.  
“Anything else you’d like to add?”  
“In ten minutes’ time, if they haven't cooperated, what do you intend to do?”  
Ryann gave Neesa a shrewd look, and Neesa held up both hands in compliance.  
“You know I trust you, Captain, I was just curious as to what course of action you were thinking on.” Ryann sighed deeply and ran a hand through her hair, forgetting it was in a bun and ruining the style. Harshly, she ripped the tie from her hair.  
“I’ll do what I must. But I hope it doesn't come to that.” She said, and Neesa gave her a reassuring pat on the back. The two began to make their way back to the bridge room.  
“I’m expecting the worst, Neesa.”

*** 

After the allotted ten minutes were up, the comm link was reopened and Chorgan’s face reappeared on screen. “I’ll have your answer, Chorgan.” Ryann said, sounding more confident than she felt.  
“I don’t think I’ll cooperate Captain.” Chorgan announced without much aplomb.  
“Captain!” Neesa cried, “enemy vessel spotted and trained on us!” Ryann’s eyes snapped from Neesa to Chorgan, who looked calm and pleasant.  
“Train phasers immediately on enemy vessel, Ensign!” Ryann shouted to Darh’el whose fingers were a flurry as he locked all phasers on the Acamarian’s ship. Looking at the screen to her left, Ryann could see that just behind the ravaged Drake, came a smaller ship, crafted for war. She had no idea where they had come from, or how they had hid so effortlessly from their scanners, but the blind spot she had created for herself left her with hollow rage. She felt humiliated in front of her crew that she hadn’t anticipated this move. Chorgan, on screen, laughed heartily.  
“And what do you expect to do with those?” he chuckled, speaking of the weapons. “We have your men, and you cannot hope to destroy us without destroying them. Why should we not blow you to hell right now?”  
“Activate it, Darh’el.” Ryann commanded, and Darh’el gave her a strained look, but Ryann gave him a hard look in return. “Do not make me repeat an order, Ensign.” Darh’el reddened and nodded, his fingers ghosting over his panel again.  
“What I have just activated is cutting-edge, top-of-the-line technology from Earth in space exploration weaponry.” Chorgan looked apprehensive as she spoke. “If you fire a single missile or beam at us, our ship is in a mode to immediately respond in kind with 21 of our strongest space nukes. So I welcome you to try your hand at any action you wish to take.” Chorgan looked surprised, and he furrowed his brow in immense thought. As quickly as the look came, it vanished, and he laughed again.  
“Well, Captain. It looks like we’re in a bit of a situation here, doesn’t it? We’ll see who blinks first.” The transmission died. Ryann turned to Neesa immediately, who was poised for instruction.  
“I need you to make contact with Acamar as soon as possible, Neesa.”  
“Aye, aye.”  
“Xie, do not take your eyes off their ship for a second. Darh’el, I need you to run to Torlack and make sure the shields are at full capacity and that the transporter is functioning at 100%.” There was a chorus of “aye, ayes” as they jumped to their tasks. Ryann removed herself from the seat and followed Darh’el and Neesa to the lift, where they rode down through the levels, each disembarking at intervals. Ryann rode her way down to the 3rd floor, which was much removed from the usual hustle and bustle of the other levels, and strode to the back of the ship, hearing loud music as she reached her destination. She knocked on a door firmly, then again when the occupant didn’t answer. Finally, she slid open the door, announcing herself by flipping a light switch on and off quickly. The room was a mess. There were test tubes and beakers filled with everything from thick, purple liquid, to various plants and dirts. Papers were scattered everywhere, and there was a sleeping bag on the floor in the middle of it all. A young woman, no older than Ryann herself, with dark skin and a wild afro, was standing with her back turned to Ryann, scribbling notes on an already filled page and absentmindedly nodding her head to the maddeningly loud music coming from the room’s speakers. An old Earth band from the 2000’s was blasting, and Ryann, while enjoying the selection of song, was almost out of her mind with how loud it was. The woman, still unaware of the Captain, made no move to turn around, so Ryann moved around to the computer and clicked the music off, prompting the woman to whip around, irritation plain on her face. While certainly humanoid, the woman had one distinct difference from humans, that being the small ridges that crinkled the bridge of her nose.  
While almost anyone else would’ve saluted Ryann or stood to attention (with the exceptions of Thia and Neesa), the woman snapped her fingers angrily and pointed at Ryann.  
“The music. You’ve turned it off.” she said brusquely, and Ryann rolled her eyes.  
“Yes, Lar-Ya, the music is off, and life continues. We have extremely timely work we need to get to.” While disturbed by the intrusion, Lar-Ya was silent for the Captain to explain the situation, which the woman had completely missed while locked away in her studies. When Ryann finished, Lar-Ya nodded slowly, soaking in the information. “But what do you need me for?”  
Ryann gave a mischievous smile that lasted but a moment. “Math.”

***

The two ships sat in a staring match for another four hours, neither crew willing to, as Chorgan had put it, blink. Meanwhile, Ryann kept her crew busy with various tasks, no clear method to her madness. The longer they all sat, she knew, the closer they got to someone accidentally sneezing somewhere and pulling some sort of trigger. Almost exactly four and a half hours after the cold war began, Ryann hailed Chorgan. His appearance was more altered than hers in the time away, with a fine sheet of sweat glistening over his entire face. His eyes darted every which way, and he shouted at someone in his native language before settling his entire focus on the Abyss.  
“Ah, Captain Yen. So good of you to check in and see how our little ship is doing. What can I help you with?” he said, smiling uneasily.  
“Chorgan. You can give me back my men.” The Captain said shortly. Chorgan’s smile stretched thin.  
“Now, my dear Captain, why would I do that? It seems that if you take our only bargaining chip we’d be worse than dead. Unless you plan on perhaps turning a blind eye to us in exchange?” he said. Ryann remained impassive, shaking her head slightly.  
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that. You’ve committed an act of war against the Federation. In my recent talk with the Acamaranian head of counsel, we've been deputized to carry out justice in the name of both the Federation and Acamaranian home planet. Even if you do not return my men, I will still destroy you and yours.” she said levelly, never once taking her eye off of him. His face gave everything away. It turned ashen when she mentioned the leeway the Abyss had been given, and he stole a glance behind him before replying.  
“No, no, I’m afraid I’ll have to call your bluff.” He said sporadically, shaking his head ferociously.  
“Be afraid all you want, Chorgan. Goodbye.” Before she could signal to cut the transmission, Chorgan began shouting.  
“They were killing us, Captain! We were forced out of our own home planet! We had nowhere to go! We did what we had to in order to survive!” he pleaded angrily, and he pulled Thia up into the frame, gagged and tied, red shirt torn in numerous places, and bruises blossoming over her face. “This is what we need to do to survive! We do what we have to to survive!” He repeated, shaking Thia, whose eyes were hard. Ryann raised her hand to Neesa.  
“And so do I.” she said, and she turned to Neesa. “Now!”  
Neesa yelled into her comm to the Transportation room, where Torlack was fidgeting with the coordinates of the Transporter. Chorgan, face white, turned to his own men and began ordering, no doubt starting to fire on the Abyss. Before the first phaser was let loose, Ryann was beamed from her chair and into the command bridge of Chorgan’s ship, Lar-Ya and Torlack’s equation proving true, and Ryann shot three men at the helm with her phaser set to kill. Chorgan had let go of Thia’s shirt and she lay on the ground at his feet, Cassidy and Ailee both bloody and against the wall. Ryann opened her comm as she shot another two men, and shouted for Xie to fire at will. Then, she switched links to Torlack, and screamed the exact coordinates of each member to beam back aboard the Abyss. The four materialized into the Transport room of the Abyss, and Ryann set off at once at a run towards the bridge, arriving just in time to see the Abyss take two hits, rocking personnel out of their chairs. Xie was already punching in various codes and shouting at the Engine Room to divert power to the phasers, and the Abyss let loose a heavy stream of phaser power which struck the Acamaranian ship and cut it in two, crewmen filling the space and dying. Breathing hard, Ryann watched the ship die. It was over in three minutes, from first transport to the last Acamaranian’s dying breath.  
The entire bridge watched in silence, and Ryann was vaguely aware that Thia, Cassidy, and Ailee had managed their way up to the bridge behind her, Thia coming to stand next to her.  
“It wasn’t a kind death.” Ryann said in a small voice, one that only Thia could hear. Thia stared stonily at the unfurling wreck of the ship before them.  
“No,” she agreed. “It wasn’t.”

***

Ryann ended her conference with the Federation Commodore and the Chief of the Acamaranian counsel, attended by Thia and Neesa as well. There had been a distinct lack of sympathy for the killed Acamaranians, and it left a bitter feeling in Ryann’s mouth. She hurriedly wrote notes of ill-will as the other parties commended the Abyss for its action and discovery, Neesa flashing her expressions of worry as though she might speak on the thoughts, and Thia reading each one with a hard look on her face.  
After the conference, Ryann asked Xie to hail all Heads of departments and anyone else who was deemed privy to the debriefing in the conference room. Thia and Neesa remained where they were and the three were joined by Cassidy, Xie, and Darh’el who had been on site at the bridge, then by Ailee, Torlack, and Lar-Ya who had to come from their respective stations. The table had been pushed into the corner and the nine sat on the floor in a circle on cushions. Darh’el took up position as reporter and held his fingers poised over the computer.  
“Let’s get started, then.” the Captain said, and Neesa was the first to raise her hand. After a nod of permission, Neesa tucked her hair behind her ears and pulled out a datapad.  
“Lives saved notwithstanding, our actions have been noticed and awarded both by the Federation and by those of the Acamaranian Council. We were able to root out a major source of trouble and exterminate it, and the report will reflect extremely well on the entire ship. It’s safe to say we are back in the good graces of the Federation.”  
“I’ll add to that by saying that I want to personally thank heads of Engineering and Sciences for their extraordinary effort today. Not many people even considered Transport out of the room an option, and I think you two really showed your mettle by humoring my desperation and creating opportunity out of next to nothing. Torlack, Lar-Ya, you have my most profound thanks.” Ryann interjected, giving small smiles to Torlack and Lar-Ya, who nodded cordially back. Cassidy was next to raise his hand to take the floor.  
“I think that if this day proved anything, it’s that we are sorely in need of better training and choosier selections in landing party procedures.” he began, but a cough from Thia diverted his speech.  
“I think that if this day proved anything, it’s that the Federation really wants us dead. Them, and the Acamaranians.” she scoffed.  
“I second that.” Lar-Ya spoke from her cushion, reaching up to twine some hair in her fingers. “This was a bullshit mission with bullshit repercussions.”  
“I’m not casting my opinion in with Lar-Ya and Thia, but I do believe that the handling of the situation was a best worst-case scenario, mostly through the fault of the Federation. The way we had to… stop the Acamaranians was barbaric and not of Federation standards.” Neesa chimed in. Cassidy furrowed his brow and routinely raised his hand again, despite the current lack of order.  
“What had to be done was done. They made their beds. It was not only unlawful by Federation standards but by the Acamaranian standards. We were completely in the right when Captain Yen gave her orders.” he said hotly, the experience all too fresh in his mind.  
“Wrong,” Ryann broke in, temper mirroring Cassidy’s. “We were not in the right. We did what we had to to secure our own agenda, sure, but I wouldn’t call the genocide of an entire sect ‘right.’”  
“But by your own constant admission, morality is— what’s the phrasing you and First Officer Krell are so fond of? ah yes—morality is objective.” he bit back.  
“Morality has nothing to do with this exact moment. If morality was the name of the game, than what would’ve been most logical and ethical would’ve been to either a.) sacrifice us for the greater amount of lives saved and negotiated from there or b.) be upfront about the weaponry of our ship for a leveler, more equal, playing field.” Thia said in her and Ryann’s defense. Cassidy stared sullenly at her, but made no move to speak.  
“Be upfront?” Xie cut in, at a loss.  
“The ‘superior Earth technology?’” Thia laughed derisively. “Did you seriously think that existed?”  
“It was-?”  
“A bluff,” Ryann nodded, “Yes, Lt.”  
“Well I’ll be damned,” Doctor Ailee crowed. “You had the best damn poker face i’d ever seen. When you yelled at the boy, he knew?”  
“He knew enough to play along.”  
“I want him as my partner next Euchre night.” Ailee laughed. There was a few shared chuckles as the nine all imagined Darh’el playing with Ailee a game of cards. Almost as impossible to imagine as ‘superior Earth technology.’ Ryann rubbed her eyes bleakly, and all at once the tension bled from the room as everyone remembered that they had been up for almost an entire day.  
“Finishing thought, Captain?” Darh’el asked, understanding that the meeting was coming to a close.  
“Only this: what we did today we did to save our friends and a galaxy of exploration. That doesn’t make it any less disgusting or any more ‘right.’ Our creed on this ship is to ‘make new friendships among life,’ and if today was a test, then we failed. I want this day to weigh heavy on future decisions made in the next six years and to never be made light.” the Captain said, and she felt the souls of the hundreds dead weigh heavily on her shoulder and in her heart. The meeting ended on a sombre note. 

***

Thia felt much better the next morning after a night of surfing the Zoidian web late last night and waking out of a death sleep five minutes before her shift on the bridge. A quick look in the mirror was enough to see that a black eye was coming along nicely and her lip was swollen.  
“Sexy.” she said to her own reflection.  
Upon entering the bridge, she checked in with Captain Ryann who was already in her chair and looking as though she had not had the relaxing night that Thia did. She looked crabby and sullen and Thia was already preparing for one of those days, when Ryann looked her over once with a critical eye and said “sexy.”  
“Plot a course to the nearest space station, Lt. Xie.” Ryann commanded the helmsman, and she cracked her neck laboriously, a painstaking process. Before she gave the order to begin moving, she opened the comm to the entire ship.  
“This is Captain Yen. Before we begin the journey off, I would like to have a moment of silence for those killed in yesterday’s fighting.” There was a deep and pregnant silence that radiated throughout the entire ship, humble and profound. “Good luck today, men. Yen out.”  
“You good?” Thia asked Ryann, and Ryann bobbed her head mechanically.  
“Eh,” she said, looking up at Thia, “good is relative.” Thia gave a wide grin and made her way to her station at the main computer.  
“Warp factor one, Mr. Xie.” Ryann said, and the ship began to blaze forward through the stars.  
“Oh!” Ryann exclaimed suddenly, “Thia! You’ll never guess this old music video I found!”  
“Oh god,” Cassidy moaned, barely two steps onto the bridge, “please, Dead God, no more Kpop.”  
“I don’t know…” Neesa smiled wickedly, removing her earpiece, “some of those girls are pretty hot.”  
“As long as it’s not those Boyscout Scrubs then I’m there.” Thia laughed, swiveling her chair hard. Ryann began to pull up the video and Cassidy rolled his eyes, sighing.  
“May the stars be kind to us all.” 

***  
To The Stars, Men.


	2. Episode Two: Your Own Worst Enemy

The planet was picturesque. The water that splashed in the brook babbled serenely, waiting to entice anyone who happened by with its cool, crystalline waters. The shrubbery and foliage which grew with gusto engulfed much of the surrounding acres, but it wasn’t an unpleasant or overbearing presence. The sky was clear and a cheerful pale yellow, a fiery blue orb looming protectively over the scene, and the air was clean and crisp with an early-fall nip.  
About six feet from a lip in the river, six being materialized onto the seemingly-uninhabited planet. Once fully solid, the six made a myriad of colors and dispositions, four in shockingly red shirts, one in a mustard yellow, and one more in a strong green. Captain Ryann E. Yen, hands on hips close to her tools, plodded a few steps away from the others who had beamed down with her, surveying the planet with a critical eye. Her First Officer, Thia Z. Krell, wandered over to her side, expression sly, but full of thought.  
“Looks like a real Garden of Eden, huh, Captain?” she said, following Ryann’s eye with her own. Another person in red, a man in a tightly wrapped turban, approached the pair from behind.  
“No Garden of Eden would contain either of you, I can assure you.” he said wryly, and Thia was quick to whip around and land a playful punch on his bicep. Whether he felt it or not, he made no move to respond in kind. Ryann, still with hands on her hips, continued to take in her surrounding, breathing in deeply. She let out the breath slowly and turned around, expression judgmental and vaguely disappointed.  
“Just as I thought,” she said haughtily, “this can’t be heaven. Too much yellow. It’s not good for my complexion.” A young Ensign in yellow gave her a cool look and Ryann sighed dramatically, waving one hand dismissively. “Of course I’m not talking about you, Darh’el!” she shouted at the boy, “you look great in yellow!”  
“Stop harassing him!” a woman with copper hair called back to her, sticking out her tongue. Neesa was unpacking several large duffel bags of equipment and supplies, and she paused to make a flicking motion with her right hand towards Ryann. Ryann pursed her lips and Thia threw Neesa the finger, both women smiling.  
“Right!” Ryann called, and she clapped her hands once. “Let’s get this expedition underway.” She pulled out her comm and fiddled with the frequency until she had an open link to the bridge of the Abyss. “This is Captain Yen. Over.”  
“Lt. Xie.”  
“Xie, all six members of the landing party have beamed to the location indicated to us in the mission report. We’ve begun to set up equipment and should be commencing exploratory sweeps within the hour. Copy?”  
“Copy, Captain. Xie out.”  
“You know,” Neesa said once Ryann had cut the transmission, “this planet is really nice, but there’s something a little off about it.” She was holding one hand up as a makeshift visor, shielding her eyes from the blue sun.  
“It’s too quiet.” Ryann said, and Thia scanned the horizon.  
“There’s no animals.” she said in a astonished tone, and she quickly pulled the Tricorder over her shoulder and began punching in questions and equations. “Mmmhm,” she hummed, “yep, Captain, there’s no animals or any life forms besides plants on this entire planet.”  
“Fascinating.” Ryann said, leaning over Thia’s shoulder to look at the readings the Tricorder gave. “That’s very fascinating.”  
The landing party stopped activity to stand, watching the skies for any sort of movement beyond that of the clouds. They each soaked up the calm silence around them. The silence was not oppressive, as some are, but was comforting and lively, punctuated by the rustling of leaves or the splash of the brook.  
“Well, then,” Cassidy grumbled, “what do you suppose I do? Seeing as there are no security threats to be had on this planet.” Ryann gave Cassidy a plainly in-genuine sympathetic smile and shrugged her shoulders.  
“Oh, I’m sure I could find you something to do.” she said. “In fact, I think it’s time we begin our sweep. Cassidy, I want you to take Yeoman Rand and sweep the surrounding area for anything plant life native to the planet that we might be interested in studying back on board. Cassidy, you’ll take geological samples, I’m sure you won’t be able to mess that up. Darh’el, you take a Tricorder and begin a search in a mile radius around us for formations and anything to indicate planetary history. Thia, you have the divine pleasure of sticking with me as we do a manual search three kliks east. You have your orders, let’s meet back here at 01400 hours to scribe and break.” The commands were accepted with “aye, aye’s” and all snapped to attention at once, going every which way to do their duties.  
Ryann and Thia began making their way west, to where Head Science Officer Lar-Ya had pinpointed some precious metals and valuables that would be helpful to the medicinal and financial problems that always managed to come up on a starship. The two moved at a quick pace, chatting nonsensically about anything that came to mind. The scenery was pleasant and the ground was level, so neither one of them was exhausted when they came to the site.  
“Jesus, look at those flowers!” Thia said as the site came in to view. “They’re so pretty!” Huge blossoms of an alien flower were blooming vibrantly around the area, swelling and bulbous. They glinted in the sunshine and shone iridescently as they waved in the smooth breeze.  
“Lord, they’re huge!” Ryann exclaimed, and the two drew closer to the plant as they began to inspect it.  
“I wonder if they’ve seen these closer to camp?” Thia asked aloud, and Ryann shrugged.  
“Well, let’s hope so because we’re not equipped to take any back with us.”  
Thia pouted, batting her eyes at the Captain. Ryann laughed, amused.  
“Shut up and let’s do what we came to do.”  
The Captain and First Officer gathered a metal infused with ion properties for an hour or so, filling the cases they had brought with them. Satisfied, they headed back to camp, this time walking more leisurely since they had made such good time on the way there. Ryann made her standard round of calls to make sure everything was still running smoothly, and pocketed her comm after.  
“We’re in luck,” she said to Thia, who had a handful of pebbles and was throwing them as hard as she could. “Neesa and Rand managed to find some of the flowers from earlier and have packaged them for transport up to the ship. I hope they grow well in Terra soil. I’d like to put some in my quarters.”  
“Why?” Thia asked innocently, “If you’re just going to kill them, why not cut out the middle man and shoot two or three with your phaser?” Ryann gave the woman a dirty look, but her eyes twinkled good-naturedly.  
“I mean, by that logic, shouldn’t you just shoot me in the face right now?” she asked in return, and Thia stopped walk to give her a quizzical yet apprehensive look. “You’ll eventually kill me one day either by mutiny for my ship or by irritating me to an early grave so why not cut out the middle man, hmm?” She sneered at Thia haughtily.  
“Nah, I’ll hold off for now.” Thia replied.  
“And why’s that?”  
“Well, first of all you’re kind of my meal ticket at the moment, and secondly I’m pretty sure Cassidy would squeeze the eyeballs from my head if I even so much as laid a finger to your head.” she reasoned.  
“You know,” Ryann said, “He’s really such a loyal guy for someone who’d love to see me socked in the face by a Romulan.” Thia laughed and tossed another pebble.  
“Right? What a fuck.” The two came over a small ridge and saw the camp below them, Darh’el and Cassidy already writing condensed reports on their findings. Thia took her last pebble and hurled it at Cassidy. It hit him directly in the shoulder, and he was standing before it even hit the ground, phaser pulled out to stun. Darh’el tugged at the bottom of his shirt and gestured to where Thia and Ryann stood, both laughing. Cassidy holstered his phaser and shook his head disapprovingly, sitting back down.  
“God, he’s easy!” Thia cackled, and Ryann began looking around for her own rock to throw. Neesa came running up to the pair, breathless, her cheeks a warm ruddy color.  
“Isn’t this place great?” she asked enthusiastically, tucking her hair behind her ears. “The only person who has annoyed me all day today was Rand, but that’s because she's a fucking idiot! Other than that I’ve been totally relaxed!” Ryann immediately realized that she was also equally relaxed and cheerful, the constant tension in her lower back gone. Thia nodded in agreement.  
“Yeah, and I don’t feel tired. Maybe there’s something in the air…?” she said.  
“You know, I really don’t want to leave.” Neesa laughed, and Ryann and Thia found themselves nodding quickly. Thia and Neesa looked expectantly at Ryann, who slowly pulled out her comm and hailed Xie.  
“This is Lt. Xie.”  
“Xie, this is the Captain. Compiling and collecting has taken a bit longer than anticipated. We can estimate beam up time in about two…” she trailed off as she received looks from both Neesa and Thia, who were shaking their heads, “…three hours. Yes, in three hours, give or take, maybe more, maybe a bit more, it’s really quite a lot.”  
“Oh. Continue with standard orbit, then?”  
“Yes, yes, carry on with standard orbit and I’ll hail in about four hours to beam aboard. Captain out.”

***

Thia, Ryann, Neesa, and Darh’el walked along the brook for an hour, chatting and swapping Academy horror stories. Neesa and Ryann had been close during their student days, but Thia had a great many story to tell them that both found highly hilarious. Cassidy, sulking at having to stay on planet loner, took to starting a fire to boil some plants and water for a makeshift lunch, with Yeoman Rand fawning over him.  
“…and then I literally fact-checked the kid during the rest of the debate.” Thia was saying, Ryann and Neesa leaning on each other for support as they laughed. “And I still ended up getting a fail on the assignment! So I databased the instructor’s publications on the subject and fact-checked him and posted it online. I didn’t go back to his class after that.”  
Neesa screeched and moved her bangs away from her eyes. “God, I had his class and he was so insufferable like he barely knew what he was talking about the entire time.” Thia made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat and rolled her eyes in sympathy. Darh’el looked pensive as he reflected on Thia’s stories. He stared at her coldly, but she had come to expect it from him, as he never responded emotionally to anyone on the ship save for Ryann and Xie. The four heard a distant call from behind them and they turned back to camp, where Cassidy had finished making lunch.  
Cassidy had scrounged together various vegetation to make a sweet stew of something like rosemary, tubers, and the flowers that had caught Thia and Ryann’s eye. Thia poked at one of hers in the bowl she was give and Yeoman Rand piped up in a high, chipper voice.  
“Oh! Registers indicate that the flower is sweet and edible, and I’ve tried a bit and it’s pretty good!” she said sweetly, and Thia gave her a blank stare.  
“Thank you, Yeoman.” Ryann said formally, taking a small sip from her own bowl. They sat around a stone that had been heated by a phaser and ate their stew, having quick snippets of conversation. Halfway through the meal Neesa pulled out a flask with a secretive smile and the rest cheered.  
“I’ll pretend I never saw that.” Ryann said over the din of celebrations and grabbed the flask from Neesa’s hand, sniffing the contents.  
“Vulcan ale?” she asked, surprised “Good choice.” She took a small swallow and handed the container to Thia, who immediately threw back a gulp. It was just starting to get dark, and Ryann stood, opening her comm to signal six to beam up. They cleaned up the camp and assured everything was in order, then the party beamed aboard the USS Abyss, content and happy. 

*** 

Back aboard the ship, Ryann dismissed all but Neesa, who helped her escort everything brought up to the labs, where Lar-Ya was waiting, eager. They began to unload the goods, and Neesa gushed to Lar-Ya about the entire experience, who smiled back at her adoringly, nodding in all the right places and was the perfect attentive audience. They had just begun unloading the plants when Doctor Ailee came in, irritated.  
“Lar-Ya, did these idiots bring back anything toxic from Mataline II?” she asked gruffly, and Lar-Ya motioned to the unopened boxes around her.  
“Perhaps if you let me explore everything first we’d know. Please leave me to my work.” she said shortly, immediately resuming unpacking the plants.  
“We’ve been back not even a full two hours,” Neesa said, crossing her arms. “Are you that mistrustful of our abilities that you can’t even wait until the reports are filed to nitpick and speculate?”  
“What the Lt. means is that we diligently scanned all materials that returned to the ship and nothing raised any red flags on the Tricorders.” Ryann said, narrowing her eyes at Neesa, who backed down.  
“I only ask because Yeoman Rand is in sick bay complaining of the shakes, sweats, and fatigue. I though perhaps you might have brought some alien seed that would affect us all.” Ailee said, subdued by the Captain’s pull of rank.  
“She’s only like that because the girl can’t hold her liquor.” Neesa scoffed, her face taking on a hard demeanor. Ryann noticed that she was sweating profusely and hoped that her attitude would decrease. Neesa was a sweet girl, but could really be cutthroat and nasty when her mood soured.  
“That may be,” Ailee retorted, “but her chart was disfigured when I did some simple tests and I assumed the worst.”  
“Hmmm.” Lar-Ya said loudly, drawing the attention of the other three women. “Yikes.” She had pulled out the iridescent flowers and was pulling on gloves to inspect them, her face creased with concentration.  
“I really hope ‘yikes’ is a good interjection in this case.” Ryann cleared her throat, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and sweaty.  
“‘Yikes’ as in, I hope you didn’t make any sort of bet with the good doctor about Rand’s symptoms.” Lar-Ya said. “This, my friends, is Polywater.”  
“Oh god.” Ailee said, rubbing her neck.  
“Polywater? What’s that?” Neesa asked, pulling at her collar.  
“Well, let’s just say a certain space crew came in contact with it, oh, about sixty years ago in it’s eighth strain and can tell you some horror stories about it.” Ailee said, and Ryann’s brain clicked sharply.  
“Sixty years ago? Is this the Enterprise crew we’re talking about? That Polywater?” she said bracingly, and Lar-Ya gave her a wan smile.  
“Let’s just be thankful you didn’t ingest it or else—“ she stopped as Ryann and Neesa exchanged guilty looks, and she let out a garbled scream.  
“Shit!” Ailee yelled, and she ran to the ship’s comm and connected to the entire ship. “I need Security Chief Cassidy, First Officer Thia, and Ensign Darh’el to report to sick bay immediately.”  
“How bad is it?” Ryann asked Lar-Ya, devoid of all emotion.  
“Bad.” Lar-Ya started writing notes and Ryann watched her give a fast, pained look at Neesa, who was breathing heavily. “If we don't catch this, you’ll be dead within a week.”

***

Space.

The Final Frontier.

These are the voyages of the Starship Abyss.

Her eternal mission:

To explore strange new worlds,

To establish friendships among life,

To boldly go where no one has gone before.

 

 

“Captain’s Log: Stardate 41706.18. The landing party, including myself, have unknowingly brought a toxin on board the USS Abyss from the planet Mataline II. The only confirmed data we have on the disease the six of us have contracted is that it’s effects were previously contracted and counter-acted by the Enterprise crew some 50 years ago—with one fatality. Lar-Ya and Ailee have begun research on the Polywater Intoxication, and the rest of us can only hope for the best.”

Six of the sick bay’s beds were occupied, an unusual number on any given day. Thia was sitting on the very edge of hers, bouncing one leg up and down rapidly. There was a thick layer of sweat which dripped off of her, and she had to continually wipe her forehead with the back of her hand to keep droplets from running into her eyes. Ryann was sitting against the wall in her bed, eyes closed and breathing hypnotically in and out. Cassidy was pacing the room, hands grasped tightly behind his back and Neesa was chattering nonsensically to Doctor Ailee, who gave the occasional grunt but continued about her business. Darh’el was rubbing small circles on the back of his hand, watching as Yeoman Rand agitatedly looked around. In the few odd hours since the discovery of the pathogen in each of their systems, the six had begun a steady climb into worried states, remaining in the sick bay for testing.  
“Well,” Ailee said, cutting through Neesa’s stream of talking, “there is quite literally nothing I can do for any of you.”  
“That’s helpful.” Thia snorted.  
“Suggestions?” Ryann asked, sitting forward.  
“Only that you go about your business as we try to work on nailing this down. You all seem to have relatively low symptoms, and it wouldn’t be prudent to force you all to sit here and stew in insanity.” Ailee replied, stripping a pair of latex gloves off. “But the call is ultimately up to you, Captain.” Ryann hesitated, thinking on her options and examining the various conditions of her crew.  
“Anyone who feels able will return to their station.” She said finally, and giving a pointed look to Yeoman Rand added, “Those who feel as though they couldn’t are welcome to go to their quarters and rest.” The other five nodded, and began to disperse, Ryann and Thia both returning to the bridge.  
“I’m not sure I feel much different” Thia confided to Ryann as they rode the lift together. “In fact, the only ones I could say really seemed to be affected were Rand and Neesa.” She gave Ryann a scanning look. “You don’t even look like you have any symptoms.” Ryann gave Thia a weary smile.  
“I think I’m just nervous for the crew. I’m worried that news will get out and there’ll be a panic of some sort. Or that the pathogen is airborne and everyone else contracts it too.” she said, and the two disembarked from the lift into the bridge, where Thia moved to her station behind the Captain, and Ryann sat into her Captain’s Chair. They resumed their jobs as though nothing had happened, and Ryann commanded Xie to take them to Warp Factor One and begin a steady course from Mataline II. Darh’el and Cassidy arrived shortly after, and Cassidy informed Ryann that Rand had been the only one to retire to her quarters instead of to her station.  
“Mind you, she didn’t look well at all,” Cassidy reported, “so I think it was kind of you to allow her to rest.”  
“Kindess has nothing to do with it, Cassidy. I merely didn't want her whipping up a frenzy among the crew with her incessant babbling and fretting.” Ryann said evenly, and Cassidy narrowed his eyes but said nothing in return.  
Mataline II began to slowly pull out of view, and a few hours after departure it was a teeny speck in the distance.  
“Add Warp Factor Two, Mr. Xie.” Ryann commanded, and Xie turned in his chair to give her a puzzled look.  
“Again, Captain?” Ryann blanched and stared at him, first confused, then irritated for being played with.  
“What do you mean “again, Captain?’” she mocked, “I’m telling you to add Warp Factor Two. I don’t like repeating myself, Xie.”  
“Captain,” Thia said from behind her, and Ryann turned to face her. “You already told Lt. Xie to add Warp Factor Two about thirty minutes ago.” Ryann blinked rapidly, confused. She wracked her brain and suddenly remembered the event. Blushing, she hardened her face and stood from her chair.  
“I know what I said! Add another Warp Factor Two, Mr. Xie! I’ll be in the lab.” And she stormed off to the lift. Thia gave Cassidy a worried look, and he knit his brow. Suddenly, Darh’el stood up and walked to Thia stiffly.  
“I would like to ask permission to retire to my quarters for the evening.” he said in a tight, clipped voice, and Thia nodded mutely. He bowed his head in respect and also departed from the bridge.  
“Looks like I’m in charge for the time being.” Thia joked lamely, attempting to diffuse any tension the bridge crew was feeling with the sudden departures of the Captain and Ensign.  
“The Captain has yet to die, Krell.” Cassidy snapped at her, a flash of anger coloring his features. Taken aback, Thia stood and snapped her fingers in his face.  
“What the hell is that?” she said lowly under her breath, eyes glinting. Cassidy’s anger drained from his face and he stroked his beard roughly, a sign of fretfulness, Thia recognized.  
“I— excuse me, First Officer. My apologies.” he apologized, refusing to meet her eye. Thia was spared a response as the ship’s comm crackled.  
“This is Head Science Officer Lar-Ya would today’s landing party please report to the lab. Out.”

***

This six members of the landing party sat in high stools around a lab table that was covered in plants, test tubes, and scattered notes that were indecipherable in Lar-Ya’s sprawling print. Lar-Ya and Ailee stood at the head of the table, a white board pulled down and freshly erased.  
“So,” Thia said first, “how soon ’til we die?” Rand let out a strangled sob and buried her face in her arms. Ryann gave Thia a tight face, a laugh threatening to escape.  
“Soon, most likely.” Lar-Ya replied, and Rand continued to sob into her folded arms.  
“Any good news?” Ryann prompted, and Lar-Ya shrugged and clicked on the computer, projecting an image of the plant onto the white board.  
“Well,” she began, “right now we know three things: what it is, why you have it, and, hopefully, what it’ll manifest as.”  
“But not how to cure it?” Thia broke in, and Lar-Ya shook her head.  
“We’re getting to that. Let’s start with what we know. What it is is a bioluminescent plant that’s buds are toxic to human and humanoid species. We also know for a fact that this particular toxin is referred to as ‘the plant with nine lives’ because the manifestation changes with each mutation, until the ninth, where immunity grows.”  
“And which mutation are we in?” Ryann asked, crossing her arms.  
“The ninth and last. Unfortunately, this means that the treatment for this case will differ from the other eight because of the mutation and the way it will manifest symptoms within you six.” Lar-Ya answered.  
“And it’s manifesting in us how?” Cassidy asked in a deep voice.  
“We’ll get to that in a moment,” Lar-Ya said, gesturing to Ailee, “but before that I want to say that the pathogen is only transmitted via liquids. It isn’t airborne, but I must ask you all to not have sex, share beverages, or bleed on anyone in the coming days.”  
“So there’s no chance of us passing it onto the rest of the crew?” Ryann reaffirmed, and she gave a deep sigh of relief when Lar-Ya nodded. Ailee cleared her throat and Lar-Ya waved graciously for her to take center-stage.  
“Discovering the manifestation of the disease within each of you was difficult, but we knew that this mutation would look different from all previous strains, so we safely eliminated many specific symptoms. Additionally, we know it to be a disease of the mind, so after carefully observing you and re-checking your tests, I have concluded that the ninth strain of the Polywater Intoxication involves high doses of anxiety, paranoia, and, in the latter stages, hallucinations. These hallucinations will come directly from the innermost depths of your darkest parts of the mind and will eventually lead each of you into heightened states of terror, prompting heart attacks and death.” she said dryly, and Yeoman Rand suddenly stood and kicked her chair over, livid.  
“You treat this like a story!” she shouted at the doctor, and Cassidy hurried to contain her, grabbing her arms and securing them behind her back. “This is my life! This is my real life! Are you so heartless as to treat it without care?! Who gave you that right??! Who gave it to you!!?” Cassidy continued struggling with her, and she fought against him as the others looked on, stunned. “It’s you! You want me dead! You all want me dead!” Neesa regained her senses and slapped Rand across the face, leaving an angry red mark.  
“Shut up! Shut up, you idiot! If it weren’t for you, we never would’ve been in this mess! You put the flowers in the stew! If anyone wants us dead it’s you!” Rand uttered a stream of nonsensical curses and fainted, falling limp in Cassidy’s arms. Thia found herself angry, too, and struggled to conceal it as Cassidy and Ailee took rand to the sick bay. Lar-Ya was comforting Neesa, who was angrily crying against her chest. Darh’el ghosted Ryann, still as a frightened deer caught in headlights.  
“What a fine mess we’re in.” Ryann laughed, but the laugh sounded far away and hollow, and Thia could see her hands shaking. Lar-Ya motioned for the three to leave her and Neesa alone and they left the lab, Ryann’s hand gripping Darh’el’s shoulder tightly. It must have hurt but the boy made no move to stop her, his eyes distant and mouth in a tight, hard line. Ryann dismissed him to his quarters and he took off, leaving Thia and Ryann together.  
“Would you like some company back to you quarters?” Ryann asked Thia, and Thia accepted mostly out of concern for the Captain. She wanted nothing more than to return to her rooms alone and sulk, but she knew the Captain too well to leave her on her own right after such a scene. She herself felt shaky and overflowing with rage, most of it directed at no one in particular, some of it at various peoples for things totally beyond their control. Ryann observed the easy way with which Thia talked and moved at the time, slow fury sweeping over her.  
At Thia’s rooms, Thia reluctantly invited Ryann in for a drink and Ryann found herself drinking fine Earth scotch as Thia poured herself another.  
“I can feel it now.” Ryann mused aloud, and Thia listened to her with a blank expression. “The affects of the Polywater. I thought it wasn’t noticeable but it’s there.”  
“Im just anxious, like, all the time, so I really don’t feel that much of a difference.” Thia said humorously, lying through her teeth, “I just happen to want to die a little bit more than usual today.” She laughed and took a sip of her scotch.  
Ryann smashed the glass against Thia’s wall, standing in a flash. Thia jumped in surprise and stood with her, furious.  
“What the hell!” she shouted at the Captain, but Ryann cut her off by slamming her hands on the table.  
“God damnit, is everything a joke to you?!?!” she yelled, and she pushed Thia hard with both hands. “Everyone else is in pain and you make a joke out of it!”  
“Hypocrite!” Thia screamed back at her, grabbing Ryann’s wrists as she tried to land another push. “All you ever do is sit there and judge people and expect everyone to play exactly as you push them! Of course I feel pain too!” Instead of replying, Ryann wrenched her wrists away from Thia’s grasp and stumbled to the ground. Thia loomed over her, her entire face contorted in a menacing frown, and her body coiled tightly with unreleased energy.  
“I don’t get where the hell you get off trying to tell me how I should or shouldn’t feel my pain.” Thia said in a more subdued tone, but no less venomous. “You don’t know what I feel.”  
“You’re selfish and cruel. You treat everyone like your playthings and don’t bother to pick up the pieces when you’ve destroyed everything.” Ryann spat back at her, and her vision went blurry and tinged with red, her adrenaline soaring. “You would be nothing without me.” She instantly regretted her words, but she didn’t dare let Thia know, still staring her down with intense ferocity. Thia felt hot, hateful tears burn the back of her eyes and she began to open her mouth to retort when Ryann began convulsing on the ground harshly, eyes rolling into the back of her head. Thia immediately bent down and began to hold her down, grabbing a leather belt that was laying on the floor and forcing it between her teeth. The fit lasted only a minute, but both women were soaked with sweat and panting when it was over. Thia watched as Ryann’s eyes unclouded, crawling away from her body and pulling her legs close to her chest. Ryann slowly sat up and stared hard at Thia, a long silence stretching out.  
“I know.” Thia said finally, and her voice was thick. “God, I know that you’re the only reason I ever made it through the academy. I know that I would be nowhere without you.” The was another long silence that passed between them. Outside, Ryann could hear people going about their business, unaware of the events of Thia’s quarters. “Everything… was fake. Everything was fake in my life until I joined you here. The Abyss… she gave me a purpose. A true purpose, and a… a family. I believed—I believe, in this ship, and this crew, and our creed.” Thia had her face turned away from Ryann, but Ryann could see thin trails of tears falling down her cheeks. “I do feel. I am feeling right now.” Thia whispered, and she harshly waited her face with her sleeve.  
Ryann began to cry great heaving sobs, and she crawled over to Thia and put her arms around her. “Oh god,” she cried, “Thia it’s not true. You don't need me. You are so capable on your own. You—you’ve grown so much in the past few years I’ve known you, and you are so beyond me. You deserve the nebula, Thia, and I’m so so sorry for trying to tie you to a single star.” Thia gripped Ryann’s arm that was around her and held it close to her body. “I’m just so incredibly proud of who you are and to call you my friend and First Officer. I didn’t trust you and that’s one of the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made. It’s one I won’t make again.” The two women clung to each other and cried, a torrent of emotions heightened by the paranoia and stress of the toxins in their system.  
As the women reconciled and strengthened their bond, Cassidy was drinking alone in his quarters. He retired to his rooms after attempting to return to his post once Rand had been subdued in the sick bay. On the bridge, he had been irritable and sullen with everyone, a stark difference from the stoic cam everyone had come to expect of him. Since Thia and Ryann were absent, he was next in rank. He was able to keep contained for thirty minutes until Xie corrected his use of terminology and Cassidy exploded.  
"You tell me how to run the ship? I would rather die than let someone like you tell me how to do my job." He spat at Xie, who was surprised at the response. Xie, usually humoring of the crew's mood swings, bit back at Cassidy, tired after a day of constantly walking on eggshells amongst the landing party.  
"Listen, man, I can guarantee you that I know more about what I'm talking about than you do. And what the hell did you mean by 'someone like you'? You certainly are being a grade A bastard and I'm sure Ryann would have your ass for that." He said in a calm voice that radiated pure anger. After that, Cassidy had simply deferred the leadership to Xie and left the bridge. He had not touched a drink in ten years and in his time of suffering it called to him intensely. He scraped his knuckles against the wall, he took a scorching hot shower, and he finally took a long swallow of liquor stolen from the kitchens.  
After the meeting ended with Rand being escorted out, Neesa collapsed into Lar-Ya's arms, the latter holding the former in a surprisingly tender embrace. The two made quite the pair, but they truly compliment each other and trusted each other completely. Neesa, embarrassed at her emotional outbursts, pushed Lar-Ya away after a while and wiped her eyes shyly.  
"I'm sorry you had to see me like this."  
"Like what? Like human? Like someone with real problems they need help burdening? It's honestly fine, Neesa. I just hope you're ok." Lar-Ya said dismissively.  
"It's just... not how I wanted you to see me." She sighed and Lar-Ya suddenly stood apart from her, eyeing her critically.  
"You're right." She agreed, and Neesa's head snapped up. "Who would want to see you like this? You're so...boring. You're nothing. You couldn't even pass a half-Klingon for First Officer." Lar-Ya said emotionlessly, and Neesa's heart stuttered.  
"Please... don't..." she whispered. She confided in Lar-Ya and now it was coming to ruin her. Slowly Lar-Ya advanced on her and calmly hurled insults after her.  
"You're nothing. Your don't deserve me. You don't deserve the Captain. You are average at best. An empath who can't even tell when others barely tolerate her. Disgusting."  
Neesa sobbed and curled into a ball, covering her ears with her hands and shouting.  
Lar-Ya watched horrified as Neesa recoiled from her and began yelling for her to stop.  
"What did I do!?!" She yelled over Neesa's panicked screaming.  
"What did I do, love, what did I do???" She tried to caress Neesa's face as her girlfriend recoiled and began shaking on the ground.  
Darh'el had immediately reclused to his room after being dismissed, and he sat in his room, rocking back and forth on his bed, hyperventilating. Everyone was whispering about him. He could hear them through the walls.  
"He's a killer. It's in his blood."  
"No one could ever deny that he'll be ruthless like his father was."  
"It's disgusting that the Head Science Officer has to work alongside the whelp. She's Bajorian, you know."  
"The Captain is only using him. She doesn't really care about him.”  
He rocked a steady rhythm and covered his ears, unable to block out the whispers all around him. Tears burned in his eyes and the insults bounced around in his mind, threatening insanity. His temper flares and he ran out the room and into the hall, shouting. The first person he spied he grabbed by the collar of his neck and threw him into the wall.  
“Don’t you fucking talk about me!” he snarled in the man’s bewildered face, and he brought his fist down over and over into the man’s face. Two others were on top of him before he could stick in a fourth hit and they held him back from the man. The whispers in Darh’el’s mind were now shouts.  
“Look at him, he’s savage!”  
“Doesn’t deserve to be on this ship at all.”  
“He’s probably wanted to do that for a long time.”  
“Stop it!” Darh’el screamed, his voice raw and ragged. “Stop it! I’m not like that! That isn’t me! Get off me!” A medical assistant hurried over with a syringe and plunged it into Darh’el’s neck. He began to slump as his body shut down, still pleading in a small voice.  
“Please… where’s the Captain? Where’s Ryann? Please…”

***

The six infected crewmen were back in the sick bay, Darh’el passed out in a bed with Ryann holding his hand, Thia close to her side. Cassidy was vomiting in the other room and Neesa was trembling in the chair she sat in. Rand was looking weak and sickly where she lay apart from the others. Ryann’s last act of command before making her way down was to order the ship to turn around and reverse course back to Mataline II and to remain in standard orbit until further notice. Lar-Ya had called ahead to the sick bay and told everyone to gather for another discussion about the infection, this time, she hoped, with some good news.  
Lar-Ya hurried into the sick bay, hair bouncing wildly around her.  
“Ok,” she said without preamble, “after hours of deep study and testing, I think I’ve managed to calculate a way to bleed the toxins from your systems.” When there was no audible response, she gave the room a stern look.  
“Dead God, don’t everyone thank me all at once.” she said haughtily and Ailee laughed from the other room.  
“Yeah, it’s always like that.” she said.  
“Anyways,” Lar-Ya continued, sparing a worried look at Neesa, “with the good doctor’s help, we should have a sustainable detoxing antidote in, at most, a day or two.”  
“A day or two?” Thia cried, standing. “Look around. Some of these people look like they barely have a day left!” Lar-Ya gave a sigh and threw her hands in the air.  
“Well what do you want me to do? I’m working as fast as I can!” she said.  
“Do what you need, and we’ll place our lives in your hopefully capable hands.” Ryann said, tugging on Thia’s shirt. “I think we all have loose tensions considering what we each are going through.”  
“Not enough!” shouted Rand from her bed, becoming animated in a split second. “You all killed me! You all killed me! God have mercy on you!” She collapsed back into her bed in a lump. Ailee rushed to her side and began to scan her, waving Lar-Ya to continue.  
“As I was saying, it should be ready in a day or so, so let's just try to keep it together shall we?” Lar-Ya reiterated.  
“Perhaps we should get a move on with that antidote, Lar-Ya.” Ailee said from Rand’s bed. The tone of her voice was strained and the room turned to look at her standing over Rand, scanner still outstretched.  
“She’s dead, Ryann.”

***

Captain’s Log: Supplemental. Lar-Ya and Ailee continue to work on creating a usable antidote for the Polywater Intoxication. Yeoman Rand died of a heart attack from continual stress. Ensign Darh’el and Lt. Neesa are both confined to their beds and are being continually put under due to their higher levels of strain. Security Chief Cassidy has been authorized temporary leave to struggle with his own illness. Only First Officer Thia and myself have attempted to return to our posts. I do so mostly because I do not want the rest of the crew to panic. Why Thia chooses to remain is unknown but commendable nonetheless.

Ryann sat uncomfortably in her chair, shifting every five minutes into a new position. She was distracted and irritable—and more than once she had repeated commands, forgotten names and terminology, and froze when issuing orders. The crew was wary and suspicious, and Lt. Xie had called Torlack up to the bridge to act as a stand in for both Neesa and Cassidy. Officially, that was why he was there. Unofficially, he was on the bridge to observe his cousin and her First Officer and make appropriate decisions for the ship on their behalf. He watched carefully as Ryann fumbled through another order, seeing as she became angry with the crewman and chewed him out for her own mistake.  
Ryann could feel Torlack’s eyes on her and sweat beaded on her neck and forehead. She wanted to remove him from the bridge, but to do so would be a large red flag to everyone else present, so she kept her mouth shut. She was sure that everyone was waiting for her to make a mistake and look a fool, but she would never give them the satisfaction of seeing it.  
“Yeoman,” Ryann called to one of the men in red who was skimming through a report. “I need to sign that, bring it here.” The man inched forward sheepishly.  
“But Captain, you’ve already signed this.” he said, blushing. Ryann felt her cheeks flush too and she looked around, feeling the eyes on her as she made yet another mistake.  
“I think I would know if I’ve signed it.” she said cooly, and the Yeoman’s eyes grew wide.  
“Sir, I’m telling the truth, maybe you just forgot—“  
“Forgot??!!” Ryann snarled, and she snatched the data pad from his hands. “I think I would know if I’ve signed my own name, Yeoman! Don’t you think I would know what I do in my day-to-day life?? I’m a starship Captain, goddamnit, and I didn’t get here with my pretty face!!” She skimmed the report and saw, with a jolt of panic, that she had, in fact, signed it. She ran through her memories of the day and found that she honestly had no recollection of the event. She began to read the report, hoping that some facts might jog her memory.  
“Yeoman.” she barked, and she motioned him forward so that only he could hear her. “What is Mataline II?” The Yeoman gave her an incredulous yet suspicious look, as if he were expecting this to be some sort of trick.  
“Mataline II? Sir, that was the planet you and the landing party beamed down to two days ago for gathering data.” he said slowly, and Ryann pulled back, livid.  
“What the hell are you talking about?” she said, and she thought she heard laughter coming from behind her. “Don’t you fucking laugh at me!” she yelled, whipping herself around. “There’s no such planet that we’ve explored! Do you all take me for some kind of idiot? Do you think I’m stupid??”  
“Captain, enough.” Torlack said firmly, coming over to her chair and placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. “I think that is enough.”  
“Torlack,” Ryann said angrily, “these people are lying to me! They’re lying to their Captain!”  
“Captain,” he said calmly, “nobody is lying to you. It seems that you simply cannot remember basic facts and knowledge necessary to being a Captain.” Ryann’s mouth went dry and her heart began beating wildly. Some small voice in the back of her mind pleaded with her to retire to her quarters and to acknowledge that this entire outburst was the work of the toxins, but her fevered consciousness pushed it aside.  
“What,” she said, licking her dry lips, “are you trying to say?”  
“Simply, Captain,” Torlack responded, “that you are unfit for leadership and must resign your post immediately while whatever this is, “ he eyed her knowingly, “works itself out of your system. Such course of action is only logical.”  
Ryann exploded into a constant stream of profanity, attacking verbally at anyone in the room around her. Torlack remained impassive, staring at Ryann until she stopped.  
“You know what?” Ryann shouted, pointing a finger at Torlack. “You can have it. You’re all fucking traitors! Fleet will hear about this… about this mutiny!” She ran to the lift before anyone could grab her and left the bridge. 

***

Thia, who had been in the break room eating as Ryann’s command was stripped from her, was also having a bad day. She felt as though she had been walking on eggshells for the entire day, and kept replaying Rand’s pitiful death over and over in her mind. She had gotten into two fist fights already, one in the engine room with some guy who had tried to tell her how to work a basic function, and the other with someone who had cut in front of her at breakfast. The worst part of the day was the recognizing. She could usually push away any and all stares or whispers she received throughout the day, people pointing to her softly ridged forehead. But now that every cell in her body was on high-alert, she saw everything. And it made her uncomfortable and feeling isolated. Pretty much all of her friends were in sick bay and she was left alone, not wanting to bother anyone with her problems. It seemed like she, out of the other five, had been the one least noticeably effected by the toxin, and she played with a few hypotheses why but was left ultimately undecided. On duty but not really wanting to do work, she roamed the hallways, unable to remain secluded in her room to ride it out.  
After she finished her snack in the break room, she rode the lift back up to the bridge and saw Torlack sitting in the Captain’s Chair.  
“What the fuck?” she said loudly, and everyone flinched when she spoke. She saw it. “Where’s the Captain?”  
“She has been removed from her duties.” Torlack responded, not even sparing her a glance. Others were pointedly looking away from where she was, while others stared at her hard, hands hovering over their phasers. She saw it.  
“Why wasn’t I made aware of this?” Thia demanded, “I am First Officer, after all.”  
“Perhaps in name.” Torlack said flippantly, and Thia’s head snapped towards him.  
“Excuse me???”  
“I said, ma’am, that whatever is ailing the Captain seems to be ailing you as well and command has deferred to me for the time being.” he said quizzically, and Thia shook her head, mind cloudy.  
“Also, who could ever trust you in charge? Not only are you brash, immature, and irresponsible, but you’re half-Klingon. Totally untrustworthy and manipulative.” Torlack said, and Thia reached out to hit him, but he grabbed her wrist softly.  
“First Officer Krell, is something the matter?” he said, and despite his Vulcan calm, Thia could detect a hint of genuine worry in his tone. Panic tore through her veins and muscles, and she began to immediately take stock of what she thought was reality and what she believed to be the toxins heightening her innermost anxiety. She knew she had to get out of the bridge, away from others, and a clear thought surfaced amidst the wild panic, hypotheses, and inner debating—Ryann was probably experiencing a very similar situation. She ran to the lift and managed to stumble her way to Ryann’s quarters, tense as whispers swirled around her. She forced Ryann’s door open and went in, looking for where the Captain might be. She heard quiet whimpers from the bedroom and let herself in, seeing Ryann curled into a ball under her bed, eyes wide and mouth moving without sound. She kneeled down to peer into Ryann’s face and recognition warmed Ryann’s eyes, allowing herself to slowly relax her body.  
“Thia,” she said, voice thick and nearly unrecognizable, “I—I can’t remember.” Thia moved under the bed with Ryann.  
“Can’t remember what, Ryann?”  
“Anything. Where are we, Thia? What’s going on?” the Captain trembled, and it pained Thia to see the confused murkiness of Ryann’s eyes. Wordlessly, she gripped Ryann’s arm as Ryann continued to tremble and moan. 

***

Torlack held a brief meeting with Lar-Ya and Ailee in the bridge’s conference room after Thia had dragged Ryann into the sick bay, her memories regressing at an alarming rate. Thia herself was in a deep paranoia, perceiving everyone around her, save the Captain, to be blindly ignorant of who she was and how her Klingon identity affected her. She nearly stabbed Ailee with her own syringe when the doctor had been trying to subdue her.  
Torlack received the reports from the women with a blank look on his face, nodding slowly at times, but remaining completely silent. When the briefing was complete, he closed his eyes, pensive.  
“I do not think that I am fit to be a leader of any sorts,” he began, “but, given there are few alternatives, my appointment seems to be the only logical one.”  
“We believe that we are incredibly close to a breakthrough, Torlack,” Ailee said, “we just need a bit more time and your cooperation.”  
“Of course.” Torlack responded, and the room was silent as the women waited for him to continue. “You know,” he said finally, “it was quite hard for me to force my cousin from her cherished and earned position as Captain of this vessel. But it must be done, and I don't think she would disagree if she were in her right mind.” The meeting ended and Torlack assumed the chair, and he was burdened to discover that the predicament of the landing party had a profound impact on him. Now that he knew the nature of the toxin, he was struck dumb with thinking of what horrors their own minds could—and were—inflicting upon them. He was terrified of what he would uncover about himself if he had fallen to such a disease… or what others might find out of him.  
“Fascinating.” he said aloud, and Xie turned from his chair at the helm to look at Torlack.  
“What is, Mr. Torlack?”  
“We fight hard won battles in these stars, Mr. Xie, against Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, and Borgs. Sometimes even, against our own people. But it’s truly fascinating (terrible, but fascinating) that your own worst enemy is yourself.”

***

An excerpt from the Doctor’s Log: Stardate 41706.19:  
Captain Ryann E. Yen, mental regression, condition: worsening.  
First Officer Thia Z. Krell, heightened paranoia, condition: stable.  
Security Chief Bikram Cassidy, heightened aggression, condition: stable.  
Lieutenant Ambassador Neesa Troi, hallucinations, condition: critical.  
Ensign Darh’el of Tain, heightened paranoia, condition: worsening.  
Tensions are very high aboard the ship as rumors grow of the landing party’s conditions and possible causes. 

***

To say Lar-Ya and Ailee worked without rest would be a grievous understatement. The two worked ceaselessly, comparing notes, running tests, and databasing trials in a continuous pattern. There was no celebrating as they finally discovered a usable form of a cure, just a steady stream of trials to make sure every possible kink had been worked out from the formula. There was, at one point, a large fight between the two when Lar-Ya had delayed treatment to the landing party because she was worried of a 0.5 margin of error that could have potentially worsened the rate of deterioration the infected were experiencing. Ailee had raved for half an hour against the stubborn Bajorian, who refused to budge on the issue. Finally, after hours without rest or nourishment, the women rushed into the sick bay with a working cure. Ryann, Thia, and Cassidy were the only ones conscious.  
“We think we’ve got it.” Lar-Ya said breathlessly, and Cassidy shot her a stern look.  
“Think?” he asked harshly, and Ailee began filling a syringe with the antidote.  
“Yes, think, Cassidy,” Lar-Ya snapped back, “there just wasn’t enough time to do human trials so we’re working with what we’ve got.”  
“And if it kills us?” he shot back, and Thia saw his fists clench.  
“Then it kills us.” Thia interjected, narrowing her eyes at Cassidy.  
“You’re content to die at the hands of some barely tested chemicals?” he practically shouted, and Thia nodded resolutely.  
“Of course. Something is better than nothing and I’d rather die than live another day like this.” she responded.  
“Even if that were true,” Cassidy said, sneering, “it’s not your decision to make. As Captain, that privilege goes to Ryann.” Thia looked at Ryann, who was barely coherent in her bed.  
“She can barely remember her own name, let alone make this decision.” Thia said, “So I’m the one in charge.”  
“Not of me.” Cassidy snarled, and Thia pushed her chair back to stand authoritatively  
“Do whatever the hell you want, Cassidy, but I won’t let you drag the Captain, Neesa, and Darh’el down with you.” Lar-Ya looked between the two and raised an eyebrow at Thia, who was breathing heavily.  
“Are you sure you want to make that call?” It was an honest question, not one that was meant to wheedle or stir up any doubts. Thia looked at the Captain, who was looking at the wall with no expression. A vegetable, barely human.  
“Yes.” she said, turning back to Lar-Ya and Ailee. “I’m positive. I’m sure this is what the Captain and Neesa would both want as well. A life lived in constant agony isn’t one I’d place any faith in. Let’s do it.” Ailee nodded approvingly and Lar-Ya smirked.  
“Jesus,” she said, “a grand statement? You really are acting Captain, aren’t you?”  
“Shut up and drug me.” Thia weakly laughed. Ailee flicked the needle of the syringe and plunged it deeply into Thia’s neck, pushing the liquid into her blood stream and cleanly pulling the needle out. The three and Cassidy waited with baited breath, until Thia fell to the ground in agony, clutching her head and wailing. Cassidy was up in a flash, bending over her in worry.  
“Got you.” Thia said, standing up and brushing her hair back.  
“Fool!” Cassidy rebuked, relief plain.  
Thia remained under surveillance for half an hour until Ailee dosed the other four. The five were kept in the sick bay overnight for observation, but by the next morning they were all beginning to look a bit more like themselves. Ailee insisted that they all remain another full day, however, and they spent the time playing card games or talking.  
Cassidy and Darh’el were both bashful at first, neither one of them joining in the merriment the women were enjoying. Eventually Cassidy stood and stalked over to the three, bowing to them.  
“I am incredibly sorry for my actions this past week, Captain. I can assure you, it won’t happen again.”  
“You bet your ass it won’t happen again,” Ryann agreed, “because I’ll never let you help with cooking ever again!” Cassidy colored a bit as the two others laughed, but he pulled up a chair and joined there next game of Rummy, Neesa squarely squeezing him for every cent he had in his wallet. Darh’el joined a little later, silently gliding over to the group and settling next to Ryann on her bed, warmth flooding his face as Ryann reached out to hold his hand firmly.  
“Darh’el,” she said roughly, and his cheeks lit up as everyone stopped talking. “You will never, ever, be a means to an end to me. You are dear to me, and I never want you to doubt that for a second.” He nodded, and Ryann was appeased, turning back to the game.  
“Yeah, we love ya, bud.” Thia said, and Darh’el dipped his head low.  
“I want you all to know that I hold none of you accountable for your actions during this time. Just as I hope you all keep your patience with me through things I said and did. We were all speaking from deeply unhappy and sensitive places that exists within everyone and I won’t fault you for being human.” Ryann said, and everyone else nodded in response. The subtle shift in speech indicated to all that Ryann was in her right enough state and that soon everything would return to business as usual. This, they all knew, was a one-time deal, but the bond and loyalty exhibited hereafter was not.  
That day, they all resumed life as usual, a silent agreement that the past time would rarely be spoken of created, and Ryann was greeted warmly by Torlack and the bridge crew when she returned to the Captain’s Chair.  
“Thank goodness, Captain,” Torlack greeted her, “I was missing to be away from my engines and solitude.”  
“Perhaps next time we don’t start a mutiny then, huh, boys?” She said faux sternly, wagging a finger at both him and Xie. Resuming her spot, Ryann clicked on the ship’s comm.  
“Crew, I would like to inform you that everything is as it should be. Let’s raise some hell.” There were cheers from around the ship as tensions from the week evaporated in seconds.  
“Thank Dead God everything is back to normal.” Cassidy mused aloud, and Neesa shook her head.  
“What does normal have anything to do with the Abyss?” she laughed, and Ryann was pleased to see her typical rosy glow returned to her after being nursed back to health by Lar-Ya. Cassidy sighed, and Thia and Ryann shared a look of amusement. Things were really back on their way to normalcy.  
“First Officer Krell,” Ryann motioned Thia forward, who obliged, “you have my trust.” Thia was tempted to say something witty or crass, but she knew how hard and deep Ryann had to pull to say something so personal that she elected to respond in kind.  
“And you, mine.” Ryann smiled at Thia, and turned to Xie, shifting in her chair to lean forward.  
“Lt. Xie.”  
“Yes, Captain?”  
“Plot a course to the nearest galaxy with a good, strong cup of coffee.”  
“Aye, aye, Captain.”

***

To The Stars, Men.


	3. Episode Three: The Stars Are Hollow

The levels leading up from the Transporter room were clogged with a multitude of people, crewmen and civilians alike, as the Abyss began it’s week-long journey harboring Fleet Ambassadors. 23 races were slated to attend the treaty signing of the new zoning proposed by Starfleet, and it was something of a spectacle to the crewmen as a plethora of colors, languages, and customs assaulted the normal efficient calm everyone grew so used to after four years aboard. The last of the ambassadorial groups were beginning to trickle in, and Neesa could be seen flushed with excitement at the Transporter, conversing with the different groups and engaging artfully in their specific rituals. Ailee had been with her earlier, but was sent below after insulting the Ferengi party, something almost all thought impossible to do. Captain Ryann E. Yen of the Abyss stood nearby, with her First Officer Thia Z. Krell and Chief Security Officer Cassidy. They had spent countless hours preparing for this ceremony, practicing their inflections and memorizing carefully written flashcards provided by Neesa on everything they were not allowed to do.  
“No laughing???” Thia had asked, incredulous.  
“It is considered offensive to the Adem culture, and greatly frowned upon.” Neesa supplied, and Thia gave Ryann an exaggerated look of disbelief.  
“How can it be considered offensive if it’s one of the few things every species in the galaxy shares?” she asked. Neesa, who knew that Thia was curious more than anything else, turned to her and took on the blank stare of one of the Adem.  
“The Adem,” she began, gesturing at an almost imperceptible speed, “are a purely physical culture. Everything is conveyed through motion or form. What I’m doing with my hand right now is showing you my expressions. Words and expressions of the face are to be shared in private with those of family or friends. People like us, who use our expressions and words excessively are little more than…” she trailed off, thinking hard for the correct analogy.  
“Are little more than whores.” she finished, smiling a winsome smile at the three. Thia, still watching Neesa’s hands, nodded appreciatively.   
“Ok, that’s pretty neat.” she conceded, and got to work memorizing rote hand movements for the most basic of expressions for the Adem arrival.  
“Hey,” Ryann was saying to Cassidy, “you’d fit in perfectly with them! God, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile, or laugh, or…”

So as the Adem ambassador party brought their procession up to the Captain’s welcome group, it was Thia who quickly motioned the expression for deep gratitude and humble excitement, watching with extreme glee as the Adem motioned profound surprise and pleased. She returned their level gazes and motioned for a crewmen to take them to their suites, breaking into a huge grin once the party had exited.   
“You’ve a real aptitude for Adem!” Neesa congratulated her, and Thia’s smile refused to leave for hours after, Cassidy slowly growing irritated with her bombastic energy.  
After a long day of greeting and desperately trying not to make any social faux pas, the last five groups signaled their arrival by ship and requested to be beamed aboard. Torlack, who had been working the controls the entire day, shouted for five to beam over, and five people materialized onto the platform, glitters falling off of them in waves as their molecules were scattered and rearranged in place. Neesa checked her data pad and stood to salute, the other crew doing so as well.  
“Representing Vulcan; Ambassadors Delvok and Iria with L’Nel, Muroc, and Varen en party!” Thia glanced over and saw that Ryann’s smile had grown a little taut, a little too formal. Torlack left his station from behind control and approached the landing party with Ryann, both lifting their right hands in customary Vulcan greetings.  
“Long life and health.” The landing party greeted the two, and Ryann and Torlack stretched their arms to meet the Ambassadors.  
“Live long and prosper.” they answered, and Delvok and Iria stepped down to touch Ryann and Torlack’s faces, their fingers seeking out the soft spots on the others’ heads, closing their eyes and melding.  
Neesa slid over to Thia and Cassidy, all watching the interaction.   
“In order to be considered properly greeted, Vulcans meld minds. They are a society of touch, which is why it is so important to Vulcans to be able to become one of mind in the initial moments of meeting.” Thia saw that Ryann and Torlacks’ hands were gripping the necks of the ambassadors, and expressions of deep concentration coated all fours’ faces.   
“This is also why,” Neesa continued, dropping her voice, “that Ryann has a difficult time being touched. Much of that comes from her Vulcan ancestry and upbringing.” They continued watching as the four Vulcans broke contact, and the Ambassadors signaled their party to begin unloading for travel to their rooms.   
“So,” began the male, Delvok, “the rumors I have heard are true.” His voice, like Torlacks, and, at times, Ryanns, was flat and devoid of character, as was his expression, which conveyed only vague interest. “I hear reports of a Vulcan offspring captaining a starship in the Fleet and thought that whoever this young woman was was fascinating indeed.” Ryann’s face reflected Delvok’s impassivity.   
“I am,” she said, “only partly Vulcan.”  
“Enough, it would seem, to be able to hold a strong mind meld. It is most impressive.” Iria chimed in, and Delvok gave a curt nod in agreement. “Does Vyorin continue to reside on Earth?” Iria asked.  
“Yes, Mother still lives on Earth. I believe she would be most interested in knowing of your becoming an Ambassador of the State, Iria.” Despite Ryann’s seemingly indifferent nature, Thia knew her well enough to hear the sliver of ice slip into her inflection. Iria regarded Ryann with a critical eye for another moment and turned to Torlack, nodding.  
“Brother.”  
“Sister.”  
Neesa faced Cassidy and Thia with a glib smile, all three shocked at the short and cold greeting between siblings. No more was said between the Vulcans and the crew, Torlack silently showing the party to their chambers on the ship. Ryann returned to Cassidy, Thia, and Neesa, trying (and failing) to hide her sullenness. Neesa opened her mouth to say something, but Ryann cut her off with a severe look.  
“Not now, Lt.”   
“Yes, Captain.” There was a long silence as the four waited for Torlack to return and beam up the next party, and he arrived promptly to begin working the controls for the next group.  
“Captain,” he said, finger hovering on the control to beam over, “I think it be prudent to warn that the next party is hailing from a Klingon bird of prey.”  
“Where was that prudence when you beamed aboard Iria and her posse over without any sort of prep?” Ryann snapped, and she gazed at Thia, who was finally subdued. Five people began to materialize on the deck, and Ryann watched as Thia stared intently at a spot above the transporter, ignoring the landing party. Ryann brushed her thigh against Thia’s subuocnously, willing Thia to remember that she had someone by her side.   
Unlike the Vulcans, the Adem, unlike every other party that beamed aboard the Abyss, the Klingon party announced themselves.  
“Chief Ambassadors A’trom, son of Krom, and Duras, son of Krell with their lieutenants Chang, Gorkon, and Mogh representing the Klingon Nation and Navy!” The five men strode off the deck, fully outfitted in their clan war uniforms, gold sashes tied spectacularly around their chests. They were big men with bigger presences, and their ridges were harsh and scarred on their foreheads. Thia wished she could melt into the ground, unseen. Behind her, she could feel Cassidy instinctively twitch his hand towards his phaser, forgetting that no weaponry was allowed while the ambassadors were onboard.   
Klingon customs were simple and forceful, demanding a rough pound to the chest and a fist salute, which the crew did, the Klingon party doing so in response. The ambassador Duras eyed Thia, who instinctively puffed out her chest.   
“This one,” he said, gesturing to her softly ridged forehead “you have Klingon within you? Very little of it, from the first look.” Thia stared back at the man, who laughed loudly and gripped the other ambassador, A’trom.  
“Perhaps they bring her to amuse us?” he laughed. Thia balled her hands into fists, body coiling.   
“Or perhaps,” Ryann interjected, clearing her throat and speaking in a clear, loud voice, “I bring her because she is my First Officer and outranks almost all within this room.” The ambassadors straightened and narrowed their eyes at Ryann, who was standing with her arms crossed, a whole two heads shorter than the Klingon men.   
“You will find,” she said, “that you will have to amuse yourself on my ship.” The statement was as close to a threat/warning allowed to her, and it was effective as the Klingon men bowed respectfully to both her and Thia, exiting, muttering under their breath.   
“Is there really no way around the weapon ban, Captain?” Cassidy asked, fingering his empty holster.  
“Nope.”  
“I hope those Klingons don’t try to start any trouble, then, for all our sakes.”  
“I hope nobody tries to start any trouble.” Ryann responded, turning to face Cassidy. “And I also hope that the Klingons aren't pushed into violence by bigots.” Cassidy raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.   
“Is this going to be a problem for you, Thia?” Ryann rounded on Thia.  
“No, Captain.”  
“Good. We still have three parties to finish greeting and my back hurts so let’s get this on the move.” Ryann motioned to Torlack to beam aboard the next group, and five more figures flicked into the room—then flickered back out. Ryann frowned and looked at Torlack, whose eyebrows were cinched together in an amusing ‘V’ shape.   
“Captain, there was static interference with the beam and we mistakenly caught two parties with one.”  
“So where are they?” Neesa asked, looking around the room.  
“Still scattered. Waiting for clearance to re-beam.”  
“You’re leaving them in molecular suspension??” Ryann rose her voice, “Bring them down!”  
“Aye, aye.”  
Ten people materialized on the deck, quickly shrinking the room. There was a moment of calm as people assessed their surroundings, then an cacophony of shouts occurred as both parties started reaching for weapons they didn't have, some opting for fists.   
“Torlack!” Neesa roared over the shouting, “why would you beam up the Bajorians and Cardassians at the same time!”  
“I requested clearance from the Captain first.” he replied, and Ryann rolled her eyes as she and Cassidy shouldered their way in between the two groups.  
“Enough! Enough!” Ryann shouted, and Cassidy began forcing the parties apart. Ryann whispered to Cassidy, who began shepherding the Cardassians out of the room, crewmen clambering to pick up the strewn luggage to run after them.   
“Ambassador Kuce! Ambassador Pimo! Please, we have removed the Cardassians from the room!”  
“Captain!” Kuce shouted, waving her hand high in the air “How could such an oversight occur on this vessel?? We were assured—“  
“And I assure you now,” Ryann replied in a calm, soothing tone, holding out both palms in a submissive greeting “that it was a malfunction with out transporter, and we deeply apologize for the misconduct of both the crew and your fellow ambassadors.” The Bajorians, a typically peaceful and pacifistic society, seemed mollified by the gesture and apology, and began to smooth out their robes and collect their belongings.   
“It’s just as well,” Ambassador Pimo was saying in a sheepish voice, head bowed low, “we would’ve seen them eventually…by the grace of god perhaps it was best this way!”  
Neesa gave a sardonic smile, and began to converse with the party in traditional Bajoran. Ryann went into the hall to speak to the Cardassain Ambassadors, proud men who wore their loss with Starfleet with honor. The ambassadors, Surjak and Dukat, were warriors out of time, their armor well-maintained and cleaned, their names alone causing crewmen to divert their eyes. Ryann felt immediate dislike for Dukat, seeing Darh’el’s features in the hard man’s face. The men cast everything around them a critical eye, causing a blush to creep onto Ryann’s face.   
“Our apologies for the slip-up,” Ryann smiled as diplomatically as possible, “it was an unintentional mistake and we can promise nothing of the like will happen again.”   
“As if this whole ordeal isn’t embarrassing enough for my people?” Dukat spat, livid. “You make fools of us over and over again. Believe me, Captain, when I say that we want this week over just as quickly as you.”  
The treaty of zoning proposed by Fleet was in response to the unconditional surrender of the Cardassian planet after many years of vicious fighting between the two. Bajorians were to receive all lands eaten from them in exchange for Fleet fealty and Cardassians were being forced to bend the knee. To the severely prideful Cardassians, this was almost as bad as death. Where was honor in surrender? Ryann excused herself to give order to Thia to take the Bajorians to their quarters while she took the Cardassians to theirs, and she followed closely to Cassidy as the wound their way through halls to the out-of-the-way Cardassian rooms. The rooms had guards stationed by them, provided by a reluctant Ryann after being directly ordered by the Fleet Admiral to do so.   
“So this is how it is to be.” Dukat venomously scrutinized the guards. “We come here under the coward’s banner of alliance to save the future of our people and we are treated as little more than criminals.”  
“War criminals.” Cassidy grunted, and Dukat examined the turbaned man carefully, as if he had not seen him there before.  
“War criminals are only so by command of the victors.” Dukat said in a taxed voice, and he gave one more contemptuous glance at Ryann. “Do not be surprised when those treated as animals will act in kind.” Ryann answered the warning with a contemplative bow, indicating Cassidy to return with her to the transporter room. 

Thia was seeing the Bajorians to their chambers, rooms within the Ambassadorial wing along with the other parties, many of whom were milling about, mingling.   
“Again, we're very sorry for the misunderstanding.” Thia apologized to Pimo and Kuce, who both bobbed their heads.   
“Of course, of course!” Pimo was saying, waving his hand. “We Bajorians are a kind race, and it takes a little more than a run-in with Dukat and his gang to ruffle our feathers!” Kuce gave Thia a glance that told her not to take such a statement at face-value.   
“You know, you’re a lot nicer than the Bajorian I know.” Thia grasped for conversation. The Bajorians were, on a good day, religious zealots and, on a bad day, wet blankets.   
“You know a Bajorian?” Pimo asked brightly, and Thia nodded.  
“Yeah, a friend of mine on the ship. Our Science Officer, Lar-Ya.” Kuce wrinkled her nose and Pimo’s face lost its brightness, replaced by a sour demeanor.   
“Science is most unbecoming of Bajorians.” Kuce said tersely, and Thia knew to drop the subject.   
She saw the Bajorian party off into their rooms and began to make her way back to the Transporter, hands in pockets and idling. She chatted with a few different groups, the friendlier ones like the Ferengi, Andorians, and Betazoids, allowing Neesa to introduce her to many friends and acquaintances that she had made in her years as a ship ambassador and translator.   
“Are you acting as the ambassador for humankind?” Thia asked as the two disentangled themselves from the mass.   
“No,” Neesa’s face soured, “I’m only qualified as a ship ambassador, not a State one. We're still waiting for the human party to beam aboard, although I honestly don’t see why it’s necessary we have them here.”  
“I mean, sure most of the crew is human, but they’d be pretty poor examples to draw on.” Thia reasoned, and Neesa agreed, the two laughing at the idea of someone like Cassidy or Ailee representing humans.   
“About the Klingon party…” Neesa began, and Thia winced, sensing what was coming.   
“You noticed?”   
“Of course I noticed! Krell… is he related to you? And why didn't you say so?” Neesa said exasperatedly.  
“I mean, through our clan, we’re related. I don’t know about anything else… and I don’t ant them to know. I don’t even want you to know.” Thia said brusquely, and Neesa put her hand on her shoulder.   
“I see…” she said keenly, rubbing the shoulder blade, “it’s not what they’d think of you… but what the crew would. You’ve seen the ignorance of this crew and you’re frightened of it.”   
“God!” Thia yelled, pulling away from Neesa’s touch, “Do you have no concept of personal space??? Or of respecting someone’s mind as a sacred place???” Neesa leered at Thia and stuck out her tongue playfully.  
“No, of course not! Don’t you see who I’m dating?” Thia opened her mouth with a smart-ass reply, but was cut off by the ship’s siren going off. Xie’s voice crackled over the comm and everyone on deck stopped to listen for instructions.  
“This is a Code Yellow. I repeat this is a Code Yellow. All authorized personnel trained to respond to the Code please make your way to the Transporter immediately. Xie out.”  
“Code Yellow???” Thia asked, confused. By the expression on Neesa’s face, thia guessed that she was as equally confounded as her. Ignoring the request for only authorized personnel to the transporter, Thia took off in the direction, followed by Neesa. In the transporter there was only Ryann and Torlack, the former pacing agitatedly, the latter standing stock-still.   
“What’s going on?” Thia asked over the continuing siren, and Ryann’s head snapped up.  
“Thia! You aren’t authorized to be down here right now!”  
“Captain, what’s going on? What’s Code Yellow?” Thia demanded. Ryann shook her head indignantly. Thia turned to Torlack and reticently pointed to her First Officer’s embellishments, indicating rank. Torlack looked between her and the Captain, who shook her head furiously.  
“Ryann,” he said calmly, a rare moment where he dropped formality, “she’s already here, it’s better that she knows.” Ryann gave him a resentful glare and turned to face the transporter, away from them.   
“Torlack,” Thia tried again, “what’s Code Yellow?”  
“Ryann’s sister is beaming aboard.”

***

Space.

The Final Frontier.

These are the voyages of the USS Abyss.

Her eternal mission:

To explore new worlds,

Establish friendships among life, 

To body go where no one has gone before.

***

Captain’s Log: Stardate 41706.22. Our 23 ambassadorial parties have been successfully beamed aboard and the Abyss now begins the week journey to the Fleet space station. Tensions on board are already apparent, and reports are coming in from security that some of the crew are not taking well to our visitors. Tonight we host the Ambassador’s Banquet in an attempt to solidify our friendships with the parties.

Thia swung her leg from her perch on the Captain’s desk, watching beside Torlack as the two women nitpicked one another. From the Transporter to the Captain’s quarters, Thia was shocked by how remarkably similar the two were—and also how different. In physicality, the elder was short, mildly stout, and had wrinkles between her eyes from ceaseless concentration. The younger was tall, lithe, and had an air of carefreeness about her that clung to those around her. She seemed to either be exclusively giddy or irate, but never both. Her ambassadorial gown, which dwarfed others, hung from her body, more fit for a runway than a ship. In personality, both women were seemingly stubborn, witty, and intense, a chemical combination when thrown together.   
“Nice ship, Ryann.” the Captain’s sister said, lips curling.  
“Mind the formality, Regan.” Ryann responded tersely. Torlack glanced between the two women, perspiring. Thia noticed that he was tapping his left foot rhythmically and raised an eyebrow.  
“Always the boring one!” Regan laughed, tossing her head back. Ryann narrowed her eyes but bit back a retort. Regan smirked and turned to study Thia from the corner of her eye, Thia immediately feeling self conscious.   
“And here’s the First Officer I hear so much of! Ryann always did like collecting things, and you seem to be a fine addition to her collection!”   
“Regan!” Ryann barked at the younger, and she stormed over to stand between Regan and Thia. “You always do this. I have seven years on you. Seven. I don’t know where you get off coming onto my ship to stir up trouble, but I won’t stand for it.” Regan rolled her eyes.  
“You always use the ‘seven years’ bit on me. I was just making conversation, as per my job.”  
“Your job isn’t to harass my crew or tell me what to do.” Ryann said, gritting her teeth.  
“I think you would find in this specific scenario that yes, it is.” Regan volleyed back easily. Ryann’s face was becoming increasingly red and she brough her hands to rest on her hips.   
“Well I think—“ Thia coughed loudly and smiled thinly at the sisters, who both glared back at her.  
“If you’re done fighting—“ she began, but the Yen women immediately began talking loudly over her, pleas unheard.  
“Fighting???!!?”  
“We weren't fighting!!!”  
“Please… if this is what you think our fighting looks like…” Torlack stared at Thia for a long moment as the sisters continued to chatter loudly, bickering melting into heartfelt jokes and welcoming words.  
“It is always like this, First Officer.” He said wearily, and Thia suppressed a laugh as Regan grabbed Torlack by the arm to pull him into a awkward group hug.   
“Awww, Torlack, I’m sure you missed me! Stupid Ryann stole you away to the stars with the lamest company.” Regan whined, and Thia was sure she saw a smile ghost Torlack’s lips.  
“Always a pleasure, Regan.” He answered evenly, and Regan released him from her grip, beaming.   
“Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?” She asked, and Torlack shook his head.  
“Unfortunately besides the 23 ambassadorial duos, the only crew from the ship to attend will be myself, Thia, and my Chief of Security.” Ryann replied, and Regan sulked good-naturedly, flipping her long, light brown hair away from her shoulders.   
“Anyways,” Regan said, bouncing back to a huge smile, “I need to go get ready for the Banquet tonight. It would be shameful if the Earth ambassadors didn’t show everyone else up!” Ryann sighed and asked Torlack to take Regan to her quarters, finally letting the tension fall from her body once Regan bounded out the door.   
“UUuuugghhhh” she moaned, crumpling to the floor dramatically. Thia nudged her with her combat boot. “Leave me to die.” Came the response from the ground.  
“And leave me to take charge? God, no, get up.” Thia nudged her again and Ryann sat up, pouting.  
“I don’t want to go tonight.” she said, and Thia reached for her comm.  
“Ok i’ll just inform Neesa that—“  
“No!!!!” Ryann cried, jumping up and taking the comm from Thia’s hand. “Fine. I’ll get dressed.”

***

Thia rode the lift up to the 20th floor to where the Gala hall was, fidgeting with her braid. It was slung to the side and intricately woven, bits of cloth intertwined with hair. The style pulled the hair back from the forehead, a subconscious dare for people to see and comment on her Klingon ridges. She was thankful that the crew formal attire was so close to that of the every day uniform, with the same black slacks and black Fleet combat boots. Her red shirt was silk instead of air-dry cotton, long-sleeved and adorned with her various medals obtained in service. The one she was most proud of, her First Officer’s badge, was polished to a shine and set in the center of her other accouterments.   
The lift doors slid open and Thia stepped out into the hall, hearing the din of talking and laughter that wafted from the grand double doors down the hall. Beside the lift stood Cassidy, dressed in the exact same as Thia was, only with different badges, and his usually black turban was traded out for a deep maroon one. Thia appraised his tall figure and was impressed that such small change could so deeply affect physical appearance.  
“You look good, Cass.” she said nonchalantly, and Cassidy grunted in response, eyes lazily staring above her. She took in another look at his outfit and noticed he look somewhat out of place without his phaser holstered at his right hip. The lift doors slid open again and Ryann stepped out of the lift, dressed as the other two were, but with a green silk shirt with a plethora of badges coating her chest and three stars on each shoulder pad. Her hair was pulled tightly into a bun, and her normally makeup-less face betrayed a shade of lipstick applied and hastily wiped away.   
“You’re already here?” she asked, seeing the two. “Good. I’d have hated to wait. Let’s make sure the evening goes smoothly. We’re here as mostly decoration, so be polite, but try not to be too friendly so that you’re the centre of attention. That position will go to my sister.” Thia and Cassidy acknowledged her requests, and the three began the walk down through the double doors.   
The rooms of the Gala hall were lavishly decorated with affections from the various Fleet Allies, the only place on the ship anyone could call ornate or grand. There was an incredibly long table in the center of the room that reached towards both entrances, and a variety of flowers and linens were draped over the length of it. The 46 ambassadors were mingling genially, with the odd exceptions, and Ryann could immediately detect the full laughter of Regan coming from the far side of the room, amidst the Romulan and Ferengi emissaries, who seemed entranced by a tale she was telling. Ryann motioned for the three to follow her to the group when Iria and Delvok stepped in front, cutting them off.   
“Captain. We recognize the effort put forth by your crew and the Fleet and commend you for it.” Iria said, and Thia stepped out from behind Ryann to face the ambassadors.   
“Iria and I have a wager, Captain.” Delvok put forth. “We wonder if you are prone to fits of passion. Iria says she’s heard you are.” Ryann’s mouth stretched and Thia frowned.   
“Of course I am prone to such. I am mostly human.” Ryann replied, and Iria gave Delvok a pointed look.  
“Fascinating.” Thia scowled and balled a fist.  
“I think that it’s rather useful for a Captain to feel passion every once in a while,” she said, eliciting level stares from the Vulcans, “sometimes a bit of humanity is more efficient than removed reasoning.”  
“That,” Iria replied slowly, “is highly illogical and befitting someone of your upbringing.” She looked pointedly at Thia’s bare forehead. Ryann opened her mouth, chest heaving, but Cassidy broke in.  
“I doubt either one of you would do a finer job of captaining this vessel as effectively as Ryann does or Thia would. Dispassionate logic is fine for sheltered theorizing, but true grit comes from the ability to weigh the two.” he said cooly, and the Vulcans regarded him quickly, giving terse nods to the three and melting back into the crowd. Thia and Ryann looked up at Cassidy in surprise, who shrugged.  
“Vulcans have too much logic. Romulans have too much passion. Everyone has too much of something according to someone else. I know what I know and I know that you two do a fine job on this ship.” he said simply, and he strode off into the crowd as well, never able to drop his security habits.   
“So, Cassidy’s in love with us right??” Ryann said, and Thia huffed.  
“God, leave him alone.”   
“Leave who alone?” Regan asked, drifting over to the two. She was dazzling in a sheer dress, which billowed around her, the tiny woven gems in the fabric catching on the lights and glinting around. Her hair was done up in ringlets, pulled back to leave her face bare. From the way she moved, any military or naval officer could tell that she wore tight flex armor on underneath, practicality of life always taking precedent over comfort.   
“You look like a giant disco ball.” Ryann said shortly, and Regan sneered at her, electing to talk to Thia instead.   
“You at least know your way around eyeliner,” she said, noting Thia’s immaculate wings, “so I’ll trust your fashion opinion over that of grandpa over there.”   
“You look great!” Thia said enthusiastically, and Regan twirled around.  
“I mean, I know, but it’s always nice to hear someone else say it.” she said, and she pulled Thia and Ryann into the crowd of ambassadors from all over the galaxy, introducing them to Madam Ambassador This-of-That, or sharing a seemingly intimate story with Sir Whats-His-Face from Wherever-That-Is. Regan was all smiles and innocent touches, and thia was impressed once she realized that it was all an act. Underneath the fun and easy come smiles, there was a hardness to Regan, one that she knew both she and Ryann also had, and it was one designed to propel someone far in life, not one for keeping friends. regan was playing the game and she was playing it well.   
The three made a couple of rounds around the room, Regan pointedly ignoring the bare corner where the two Cardassians sat, sipping their wine and talking to no one. A strong vibe emanated from them, one that most were too afraid to throw themselves into. Ryann knew Regan was more into self-preservation than to openly engage with the Cardassians, but Ryann had no reputation to maintain within the State circles, so she abandoned the Betazoid envoy as Regan animatedly discussed the politics of old Earth and wandered over to the Cardassians, Dukat glowering darkly as she approached.   
“And to what do we owe this immense pleasure?” he hissed, but Ryann ignored the displeasure and pulled a chair over.  
“Just wanted to see how the crew and ambassadors have been treating you is all.” she said, and the other ambassador, Surjak, snorted.  
“Little better than mangy dogs.” he said gruffly, and Ryann looked back at the others, some of whom were watching her disgustedly.   
“I am truly sorry if my crew has treated you anything less than polite—“  
“Polite? Of course everyone has been polite, Captain. That would defeat the purpose would it not? This is something not easily seen, heard. Politness can be suffocating, and everyone plays their part.” Dukat answered, softening a little, and Ryann furrowed her brow as she thought on the sentiments.   
“While I understand that it is sometimes more what is unsaid than said that kills, you do realize why some people feel the way they do towards you, right? Slavery and murder aren’t exactly sins easily washed away in a single generation. You do harbor fault.” Ryann responded finally, and Dukat tilted his head.   
“We do what we must to ensure a future for our legacy, our children. I know you of all people know that.” Dukat said, and Ryann remembered watching as the Acamaranians poured from the slash in their ship, dying.   
“We do what we must,” she said, shaking her head, “but that doesn’t make it right. People have a right to fear you. I don’t necessarily agree that it grants poor behavior towards you and yours, but it’s foolish to think that only you are suffering here.”   
“I concede that you know what you think you know.” Dukat said finally, and Ryann took the statement as a good time to leave, pushing her chair back and bowing respectfully. As she returned to Regan and Thia, a bell rang clear and sweet through the room, and everyone crowded to their assigned seats, Ryann, Thia, and Cassidy at the head of the table.   
The dinner was exquisite. As officers used to the barest of portions and meals due to their ungodly workload, Ryann, Thia, and Cassidy gorged themselves as each course filed out.  
“Pace yourselves!” Regan whispered warningly as the three dug into the third course of a thick stew with unidentified meat and roots of some kind, “This is an ambassadorial dinner, so there will be a course for each visiting nation!” That made a total of 23 course, small, but rich and filling. There was fine Vulcan wine and Klingon ales to supplement each dish, and Ryann couldn’t contain herself from sampling everything that came out of the kitchens.  
“You’re going to throw up tonight.” Thia remarked on the sixteenth dish, a medley of meats braised in an unknown sauce from the Beta Region. Ryann winced at the thought and slowed down. Cassidy was stiff next to a glass of wine and Ryann concentrated on having it removed from their end of the table. The last dish before coffee was a regional dish in the Cardassian folklore, and Ryann saw many neglected to lift a fork to it, shunning it entirely. As the plates were taken away, Kuce gave a loud laugh from the end of the table, heard through the entire room.  
“If I wanted to eat Cardassian slop, I’d root through the garbage.” she said savagely, and there were scattered laughs as people were unsure what was considered proper etiquette at the moment.   
“I thought this was a surrender,” Kuce continued, sloshing a glass of wine around, “not a joke. They make us sit at the same table as… as them, and then they force their food down our throats. As if we didn't already have years of the disgusting fare under their rule!” There were a few murmurs of agreement at this, and Ryann saw Dukat’s knuckles deepen blue as he gripped the tablecloth to restrain himself. His counterpart was not as careful, and Surjak stood abruptly, knocking his glass over.  
“It is common courtesy! What more do you want from us?” he shouted at Kuce, who stood as well.  
“I want you to face every horror my people faced! I want you behind bars or dead! I want you as far away from me and civilized, godly folk as is possible! I want the Federation to stop babying you and humoring you as if you had any kind of say in this and treat you like the dirt you are!” she screamed, and Dukat stood as well, looking close to throwing himself across the table to where the Bajorians were. Cassidy tensed beside Ryann, who stayed him by placing her hand on his knee.   
“Say that again, slave!” Dukat roared, and the table was up in arms, Bajorians being held back from closing the gap between the two races, others rounding on the Cardassians in anger. There was shouting and raving, and, amidst the yells, Dukat shouted again.  
“You talk as if we are the thorn in the bush tonight when I see Klingons here who set fire to the entire garden! You talk of savages when there are two among you all!” The Klingon ambassadors rushed Dukat, who tensed to fight, but before the two collided, Cassidy was between them, and Ryann was on the table, smashing plates and cups.  
“Quiet!” Thia shouted, and everyone stilled to turn to the three.   
“I have never in all my life have seen so much indecency.” Ryann chastised calmly, and she motioned for the guards stationed outside to begin escorting people out. “I have nothing to say to this roomful of adults. This evening is over.” 

***

Thia, Ryann, Cassidy, and Regan sat against one of the walls of the Gala hall, still dressed up in formal attire, the women passing around a bottle of Vulcan wine.   
“Still wasn't the liveliest one I’ve been to.” Regan was saying, taking a swig from the bottle.  
“Shit if you’re lying.” Ryann said, calling the bluff. Regan shrugged and passed the bottle to Thia, who drank generously from the bottle.   
“What will it take,” Ryann wondered aloud, “to end the conflict the Federation seems to enhance?”   
“Nothing short of God himself rising from the grave.” Thia said bitterly, and Ryann could tell she was having a hard time with the Klingons aboard. It was in the way she sat, how reserved she had become since they arrived, her blush of embarrassment and anger when Dukat had provoked the Klingon party.   
“If this entire evening was a foreboding for the actual treaty signing, then we may be in for a rough ride.” Regan said, motioning for the bottle, which was reluctantly given up.   
“It’s not really our problem.” Ryann said “I thought I could try and do what little I could with the Cardassians, but I’m washing my hands of it.” Cassidy cracked his knuckles and sat in silence. Thia looked at her watch and saw that it was 1 AM. The four had been drinking and sitting in contemplative silences for almost four hours.   
“Well, my nanny always told me that nothing good happens in the early morning, so I’m going to bed.” Thia announced, rolling onto her heels and standing. The other three followed. They rode the lift to their floors and bade one another good night, unbeknownst to them that Kuce’s throat was being slit from ear to ear as each one of them drifted off to sleep.

***

Thia awoke late to the ship on red alert. She wasn’t scheduled for bridge shift for another two hours, but she donned her uniform and ran out to the bridge, where Ryann was brooding in her chair.   
“Kuce was found dead this morning.” Ryann said without turning around, and Thia was startled to think that the angry woman was gone.   
“Any leads?” she responded, surprise not lasting long.   
“None but rumors.” Ryann said, and Thia could tell by her tense back what the rumors were. “I’ve already put the ship on lockdown. No one is beaming in or out unless granted clearance and we’ve sent word ahead to the space station that we’ve been delayed by the tragedy.” Thia settled into her station and began punching in data codes for the ships’ security cameras and logs from last night.   
“I’m fuckin’ pissed.” Ryann said, turning around. Her jaw was tight and the veins on her neck pulsed, engorged.   
“There’s no record from last night at all.” Thia responded, noting that all data between 12pm and 2am were simply wiped from the data base. “Someone knew our system extremely well.” Ryann sucked on her teeth from her chair, irate. Cassidy sauntered onto the deck at that moment, phaser in hand.  
“You know you’re not allowed weapons, Cassidy.” Ryann said sharply, and Cassidy holstered it.  
“I think an exception can be made, Captain.” he said, walking down the steps to her chair. “Have we put the Cardassians in the brig yet?”  
“Why would we do that?” Ryann asked defensively, and Cassidy gave her an incredulous look.  
“So they won’t hurt anyone else, of course.” he said as if talking to a child. Ryann bristled at the tone and regarded him sternly.   
“We have no evidence they are to blame for this.”  
“What hard-fact evidence do you need!” he exploded, “They threatened the Bajorians last night at dinner. They alone have motive for such an event. They are a cruel people.”   
“Cassidy!” Ryann shouted, and she nodded her head towards Darh’el, who sat still in his seat at the helm, unmoving.  
“I won’t waste lives to comfort a child’s image of himself.” Cassidy intoned, and Ryann jumped out of her chair.  
“You are being irrational and about as dense as I’ve come to expect from you. We have no right to lock up the Cardassians on a whim.”  
“But perhaps as a precaution…” Thia trailed off, silenced by Ryann.   
“Fools. Those cornered will of course resort to violence.”  
“And what of ‘keeping the stars safe,’ Captain? You contradict yourself through action.” Cassidy bit at her, and Ryann punched the arm of her chair.  
“If this is what the price is of keeping the stars safe, then the stars are hollow.” Ryann shouted.   
“Captain.” Xie spoke from his chair, and Ryann glared at him.  
“What?” she snapped.  
“A group of crewmen lead by the Bajorians have rushed the Cardassian rooms. The Cardassians are defending themselves from attack.” Xie said hurriedly, and Ryann wheeled around to jab a finger in Cassidy’s face.  
“Treat someone as such and they respond in kind.” She said menacingly to him, and snapped her fingers at Thia to follow her to the lift.

***

Ryann strode down the hallway to the Cardassian rooms followed by Thia, Cassidy, Regan, and the Bajorian party. The Bajorians seemed more saddened by Kuce’s death then angry, hanging their heads low and walking somberly behind the other four. The halls were deserted, as per an order from Thia that all personnel and ambassadors be confined either to their quarters or stations as the Captain attempted to work out the mess left in the aftermath of Kuce’s murder. She maintained through the entire journey down to the rooms that the Cardassians were not to be treated as animals, nor suspected guilty in the absence of evidence. Cassidy remained silent, as he would've rather voiced opinion beyond the insignias that they all wore to indicate rank. It was clear to Thia, though, that Cassidy thought very little for the Cardassians peace of mind nor of the Captain’s firm philosophy. As for herself, she felt sure that the murder of Kuce was done by the hand of the prideful Cardassians, and it worried her to see the Captain so blinded by idealism, and Cassidy by prejudice. Regan was brought along to act as a mediator between the Cardassians and the Bajorians (and Ryann and Cassidy), and her previous air of bouncy happiness was gone, replaced with solemn concentration.   
The group passed the guards that kept the Cardassians in (and the angry ambassadors out), and entered the Cardassians room without so much as a formal knock. The Cardassians were waiting in the front room, Surjak pacing and Dukat sitting with legs crossed and eyes closed. The Bajorians trembled behind Regan and Cassidy.   
“Before I waste anymore breath on anyone, let’s get this straight. Kuce. You kill her?” Ryann said hotly, breathing heavily. Her face was flushed and she glanced between the two ambassadors, who shared a silent look.  
“Yes.” Dukat said simply, standing. Thia watched as Ryann’s face went from shock to embarrassment to being livid in the span of ten seconds. Her nostrils flared and she rubbed her nose roughly. Cassidy gave a small “hm” behind her, and she rubbed at her nose harder. She wheeled around to face him.  
“You be quiet!” she snarled and Thia stepped forward reflexively, Ryann noticing. Electing to ignore her, she looked back to the Cardassains, who sat impassively as the Captain lost her cool, kicking a chair over.  
“Why?” she shouted, “You…you played right into what everyone thought of you? You couldn't swallow your insufferable pride for a week to ensure the safety of you way of life?”   
“Our way of life?” Dukat roared in response, “It has been stolen from us just as surely as we sign that piece of paper! Why should we count on someone like you to stand up for our people when we can for ourselves?”  
“Flippancy seems to run deeply in your people.” Cassidy said gruffly, “A woman is dead.”  
“Stop!” Ryann yelled warningly at Cassidy, who opened his mouth to retaliate.   
“Enough!” Thia shouted, holding a hand up. “That is enough! I’ve watched you two bite and claw at each other for too long now, it’s becoming petty and useless.”  
“It’s useless that I try to fill his mind with something other than deep-rooted suspicion of every race that isn’t docile under the Federation?” Ryann retorted, and Thia shook her head.  
“Ryann.” Regan said firmly, and the Captain stopped to stare at her, confused. “Listen to your First Officer. You’re letting yourself be blinded by self-righteousness and pride.” Ryann flushed crimson and silently stormed out of the room, and Thia knew that Regan had hit a raw nerve. With the Captain gone, Thia was left in charge, and she instantly called for the two guards outside to take the Cardassians to the brig, barring Cassidy from taking part.  
“I don’t think you have the constitution to do anything with regards to the Cardassian/Bajorian matter.” she said flatly and Cassidy gave her a dark look but obeyed, vacating the rooms and taking off.   
“Now,” she said, turning to the Cardassains, “you’ll be taken to the brig until we’ve received orders from the Federation as to what to do with you.”  
“Why not just flay them now?” one of the Bajorians spat, and Pimo turned away from the Cardassians, wringing his hands.  
“Listen,” Thia said, squinting her eyes, “while I think the Captain let stress get the best of her today, her sentiments aren’t entirely poorly placed. Criminals, yes, but who are we to take the right of fair trial from them?” The Bajorians gave her venomous looks but said nothing, and Thia instructed the Cardassians to prepare for the journey below to the brig.  
“Hm.” Dukat said, hands behind his back “No, I don’t think so.” Thia stood, unmoving, trying to comprehend his ability to refuse. “I shan’t be going anywhere with you.” And at a word, the Klingon emissaries moved from the back room, armed to the teeth.   
“How-“ Thia began, but she was cut off by the wave of Dukat’s hand.  
“You will leave this room. You will return to your quarters and instruct your underlings to do the same. We shall command this vessel and change course. Once we beam off at a nearby port, you will have control over your ship again.” he said calmly, and it took Thia a fraction of a second to decide to fight on a different day, her and her posse severely outclasses by weaponry. They would be slaughtered. Feeling to honor in retreat, Thia shepherded the Bajorians and Regan out wordlessly. Once she asked Regan to take the Bajorians, who were shaking in anger, back to their rooms she began to sprint to the bridge, her comm chirping loudly from her pocket.  
“This is First Officer Krell.”  
“Thia, this is Lt. Xie. The Ambassadors… Thia they’re becoming violent.”  
“Violent?”   
“Romulans have been ransacking rooms and are on their way to the Cardassians and Klingons, accompanied by the Acamaranians and the Gorn. Other groups are beginning to form around the Bajorians, some of whom had been talking revenge upon the Cardassians. People are mobilizing, Thia, and not just the ambassadors. Some crew of specific races have abjured to join their emissaries. Fights have broken out amongst the crew. Orders?”  
Thia was stunned, the comm still crackling as Xie waited for an answer. She stopped in the middle of a hallway, halfway to the lift, and watched as two crewmen, a Human and a Borg, grappled with each other as others looked on, shouting. Thia pocketed her comm without answering Xie as she ran to break up the fight, ordering the crew back to their quarters or the brig, their choice. She continued her course to the bridge, and she made it to the room as she received a call from Torlack, who told her that a group of Cardassians and Romulans were holding the engine room hostage.  
“They plan to turn off power and divert course from here if necessary.” Torlack monotoned, and Thia punched a wall in frustration, sure that it was going to leave a bruise. Xie stared at her, panicked, and Neesa hurried to her, gripping her arm.  
“Thia! What’s going on? From the cams it looks like a full-out rebellion!”  
“It’s a mutiny.” Thia said, and she hesitated before moving down the steps to the Captain’s Chair, slowly lowering herself onto the plush seat. “Xie, I want all doors and lifts shut down on high alert status—no one can move through them without having the correct authorization codes. Neesa, I need you to find out where the Klingon and Cardassian groups are in the ship—they can’t all have gone down to engineering to accost Torlack and co.”  
“Correct. Some of us would need to lock down the bridge so the pesky helmsman wouldn't divert course back to the station.” a hard voice said, and Dukat stepped down the steps, close to Thia. “And all without weapons… how sad the Federation did not have the foresight to allow them.” Thia was halfway out of her chair when Dukat roughly pushed her back, pointing his Klingon weapon at her shoulder.  
“It’s set to stun. For now.” he threatened her, and the other members of his party fanned out to prevent the crew from coming to Thia’s aid. Dukat opened his mouth to say something else, but his eye drifted to Darh’el who sat at the helm, back to Dukat.  
“Dahr’el.” he said sharply, and Darh’el slowly turned, not daring to meet Dukat’s eye. “My son. Look what they do to you.” He motioned to Dahr’el’s yellow shirt, a disgusted look creasing his features. Darh’el stiffened as Dukat called him his son, and he began shivering uncontrollably, still not looking up. Dukat made a disgusted noise and abandoned Thia, roughly grabbing the boy by his shirt and bringing him up.  
“Look at yourself. Bastardized by humanity. You’ve Cardassian blood, but is it enough? Surely you see the way these people look at you, hear the whispers. You aren’t one of them. But you still can give yourself up to be one of us.” Darh’el slowly met Dukat’s eye, and his face was taut with pain.  
“You offer me something you willingly or not cannot give. I do not have a place with you. These… these people give me purpose, and friendship. You are no more my father than Ryann is my true mother.” he said slowly, and Dukat struck him across the face, Darh’el’s face snapping to the side.   
“Bastard! People do not give, people take! You are a fool to think these people care for you! They would just as soon as see you dead than rise to any notoriety! You will be nothing more than a whipping boy for the Federation, just like they want our entire people to be!” Dukat yelled, and Darh’el glanced around the room, feeling the eyes of the crew on him, no one standing to help. He nodded sullenly and stood beside Dukat, who gave him a cold look.  
“The best possible decision to make.” Another Cardassian moved to his side and handed him a data pad.  
“We can’t access anything from here. They’ve locked all controls in the bridge. The only way to divert is to manually do so in the engines.” Dukat sighed deeply, still watching Darh’el carefully.  
“Unfortunate. Let us make our way to the bridge, then.” The party turned to the door, which swooshed open with Ryann and Cassidy standing in the arch, both armed with phasers.  
“Hands off.” she said curly to Dukat, who was guiding Darh’el by the back. Before Dukat could retort, Darh’el shook his head and moved behind Dukat. Ryann’s face remained blank as she motioned for Cassidy to stand by and let them pass. She gave Darh’el a pained look as the doors closed behind their group.   
“Having fun in my chair?” she said wryly to Thia, who jumped out of Ryann’s chair.   
“Just keeping it warm.” she smiled, and Ryann beheld her and her crew for a moment.   
“I’d like to formally apologize for my passionate outbursts. I let myself be blinded by my own grandeur. Anyways, let’s get to it.” she breezed, the tinge returning to her cheeks at the apology. “I saw everything was on lockdown, took me a good minute to open every single door so, effective, but a pain. Nice work.” she complimented Thia, who nodded graciously. “Where are we?”  
“Fights breaking out between rallied groups, crewmen, and engine room under siege by the Cardassians who lead a handful of others.” Xie read back, and Ryann nodded.  
“Ok I need a direct link through the whole ship.” Xie patched her through quickly, and Ryann sat in her chair, leaning back.  
“Crewmen of the USS Abyss. I am prepared to turn a blind eye to the misconduct most have shown throughout the ship if no more of it happens as of this moment. You are officers, and you’ll act like it or I will have you all court marshaled in a court of law. I’ve had a long day, so don’t try my patience. Stop acting foolish or I will force you to. These people are your brothers, your sisters. This is not 2017. We will not let physical differences and cultural norms dictate how we treat another human. I have zero tolerance for that sort of mindset. I need all security officers to meet in Recreation Room 3. Yen out.” When the line was cut, she swiveled in her chair to look at Thia. “If you see anymore fighting on the cams, I want the people identified and immediately removed from the register.”  
“Aye, aye.”  
“Cassidy, go down to collect the security officers. I want them outfitted with phasers set to stun, and stationed around the ship to subdue the ambassadors who thought they could have a little fun on my ship.”  
“Aye, aye.”  
“Xie, I need another status on the engine room. How many are we facing, how many men trapped.”  
“As of right now, there are fifteen ambassadorial members in the engine room, working on diverting power. There are 8 crewmen being held hostage by the fifteen. It seems that the Klingons have left the Cardassian horde.”  
Ryann brought a stylus to her lips, pushing down on the skin, thinking. She looked back at Thia.  
“You think you could take out five ambassadors?”   
“Five? I could do eight.” Thia grinned wickedly, and Ryann sneered back.  
“You’re on. Xie, Neesa, you’re on us. Let’s put this Fleet training to good use.”

***

Ryann, Thia, Xie, and Neesa stalked their way to the engine room, occasionally having to stop and accost ambassadors to force them back to their rooms. Ryann was pleased to see that there were no crewmen in the halls, proud that they had obeyed so easily for once. Ryann’s comm chirped and a crewmen on the bridge informed her that the band of Bajorians had stolen away from their rooms and had begun a raid on the engine room, already cutting down two Cardassians in the charge.  
“Fuck!” Ryann exclaimed, and she picked up the pace, the other three matching hers. The reached the engine room much later than they would've normally, every single door needing to have authorization codes carefully entered to allow passage. The four kept to a tight V formation, sliding into the engine room quietly, loud shouting coming from within. Inside, the Bajorian party had phasers trained on the Cardassian force, two people already dead on the ground. Ryann recognized one as Surjak. She spied Darh’el standing, ashen-faced, apart from his father, who had a Federation phaser in one hand. A Bajorian was yelling something indecipherable at Dukat, whose face was unreadable. Dukat stood still for a moment, then tossed his phaser on the ground, motioning for the others to follow suit, each person dropping their weapon to the floor. The Bajorians seemed pacified at first, then one brought her phaser up to shoot a Romulan, who hit the ground dead, and the Cardassian force scrambled for their weapons, now out of reach. Ryann jumped out from the door, the three behind her.   
“Stop!” she shouted, and the Bajorians turned wildly on her, weapons still raised. “They’re surrendering! Why would you shoot them?”   
“It’s not less than they deserve!” Pimo shouted, his docile demeanor melted to reveal a mangled pain “It’s God’s justice!”  
“Please!” Ryann said contemptuously, “This isn’t justice—it’s hollow vengeance. This makes you just as bad as them.”  
“They hurt us! They enslaved us!”  
“So you allow yourself to become the oppressors? Do you not see where you begin to stray from the path of justice? Let them face the people’s justice, not your own.” Pimo looked thoughtful, a pained countenance painting his face. He was silent, then shook his head apologetically.  
“Hollow it may be, but my people demand more.” Before he could pull the trigger, Darh’el pulled a phaser from behind his back and shot the ambassador, phaser set to stun. Pimo fell, and the Bajorians brought their weapons up, Thia nailing three of them before they could aim. Dukat laughed coldly, and turned to congratulate his son, who prompt shot him in the chest. He ambled over to Ryann, who put her arm around him protectively, seeing that tears were streaming down his face. Thia hailed Cassidy, who came en force to take the Cardassians and the Bajorians to the brig to await judgement. Before Dukat was led away, Ryann laid a hand on his arm, stopping him.  
“You had an ally in me. Remember that.” she said cooly, and Dukat shrugged her hand off and left without another word. 

***

The next five days passed in a daze. There were mixers for the crew and ambassadors who had not leagued themselves with either groups to ease feelings, and Ryann spent most of the time brooding. The morning of the departure onto the space station, Ryann was eating breakfast with Regan, Thia, Cassidy, and Torlack, Regan making the most conversation.   
“You know, now that the treaty is probably going to be renegotiated, this whole trip was for nothing.” Regan said, sipping orange juice. “this was a colossal waste of time and energy.”  
“I wouldn’t call it that,” Ryann said, “it really shook out the cracks in the Federations’ plans for the two races, and it certainly gave me much to think about.”  
“About what?” Thia asked.  
“About the Federation. It worries me.”  
“Worries, Captain?” Thia replied, and Ryann nodded.  
“This was a disgusting showboat meant to gloss over real problems people under the Federation umbrella are having. I think the Federation doesn't realize how neo-imperialistic they’re becoming. I think we’re going to have to be careful in the future with how we approach Federation missions.” she said, and Thia hummed agreement.  
“Well since my job is purely Federation-based, I’mma do me.” Regan said blasé, and Ryann pursed her lips.   
“Isn’t that what you do anyways? Doesn’t seem very responsible or socially-forward of you.”   
“I work for the government, Ryann, I’m not socially-forward or responsible, as a rule.” she quipped, earning smiles from her companions. The ships’ comm crackled and announced that ambassadors would begin departing in ten minutes, and Regan wiped her mouth and stood from the table. She was wearing a simple blouse and slacks, her hair down for the simplicity of the day’s events. She hugged Torlack tightly, and reached for Ryann, the two girls squeezing each other.  
“God, you come on my ship, make fun of my friends, and call me out in front of my wards and still you manage to make me weepy at your leaving.” Ryann said, hugging Regan roughly.  
“I mean, what are sisters for?” Regan teased, winking at Ryann as they pulled apart. Not wanting to throw themselves into the mess of departing ambassadors, Ryann and Thia left Regan to leave with Torlack and Cassidy, the latter escorting the prisoners out to the station for a trial, the former going to make sure people beamed down safely.   
The two women walked back to the bridge slowly, watching as people streamed by to the transporter or to their various stations. Ryann noticed Thia looked much better than she had all week.  
“Glad the Klingons are leaving?” she asked innocently, and Thia shot her a shrewd look, but relented.  
“Yeah. It’s good they left the Cardassians early on. There’s enough Klingon hate aboard enough as it is.” she said sourly.  
“I know. It’s such a progressive time and yet… it isn’t. The Federation puts people more at odds than ever. Who are we to decide who has what rights and who doesn’t? What so we do?” Ryann asked, worried.  
“What we must. What is good for the greater good. I don’t know, it sound like bullshit, doesn't it?” Thia answered, shaking her head.  
“I don’t know what we can do anymore… but let’s make sure we do it in confidence. I acted like an irrational child this week and you deserve to be able to tell me when to stop being such a fuck.” Ryann said candidly, and Thia titled her head.  
“I feel able to.”   
“But… I think because of who I am and our relationship previous to this work one, you wait too long to tell me when to shape up. I know I’m a good captain… I have the medals to prove it… but i’d much rather have the well-placed confidence of my crew.” Thia let out air in a huff, and stopped walking.  
“Sometimes I wait to tell you my opinion, yes. But it’s because I ultimately trust you. I tell you when you take it too far. That’s all.” Ryann gave a small smile.  
“I trust you and your trust in me.”   
“Then that’s all that needs to be said.” Thia said, and they continued walking up to the bridge. “Did you ever talk to Cassidy?”  
“Oh, yeah. Told him that I respect his right to voice his opinion even if I may not respect the opinion itself. I told him if he has a problem with different groups of people this may not be the best line of work for him. He assured me it was and vowed to reign in his limited understanding in the future.” Ryann said.  
“Hm. Sounds like him. Such a long stick up his ass. You should've seen him when I assumed command after you, though. Almost threw a fit. I doubt the guy would ever follow anyone but you. he’s as loyal as they come.”  
“What a guy.” Ryann reflected.  
“Yeah, he’s not bad all the time.” Thia smiled, and they stepped into the lift up to the bridge.  
“So, he’s totally in love with me, right?”  
“God! Just leave the guy alone…”

***

To The Stars, Men.


	4. Episode Three Point Five: Laser Queen

Thia had had a long month. The last half of the Abyss' fourth year in space was only just upon them and already Thia had scraped by with just her life and the clothes on her back three times…or was it four? The First Officer sighed and wove a stand of hair into a braid then unplaited it just as quickly, swinging her leg hypnotically over the side of her bed.  
            There had been the Acamaranians, the polywater toxin, the trigger-happy Cardassians… shit, wasn't there a fourth? She was so tired that even arranging her memories was a lengthy process. Huffing, she flung herself into a seated position, staring irately at the clock next to her bed. She was due on the bridge in thirty minutes and she hadn't even bothered to brush her teeth yet. Luckily, she had passed out in her uniform the night before after a particularly lengthy powerpoint presentation given by Ryann on how the crew could work on their efficiency. There had been fun pictures and videos, but it did little to mask the fact that the entire speech was basically a roast session to bring Ryann's own nitpickings about each Head Officer to light. Nobody had been very happy with it.  
            So, checking the clock one last time, Thia fell out of bed and made her way to the bridge, not concerning herself with her teeth. If someone complained, they were welcome to buy her gum and shut up.  
   
***  
   
            The doors to the bridge opened, allowing Thia to step inside, rubbing her temple. Cassidy was standing stiffly at his usual place behind the Captain's Chair, and Xie and Darh'el were at the helm, both looking worse for wear and Darh'el noticeably fighting a wave of yawns. Neesa was in her communicator's seat, idly tuning the frequencies and staring off at a fixed point on the wall. Everyone else seemed rather lethargic and disinterested with everything, and Thia knew her appearance mirrored the same sentiment. The only one not yet on the bridge was Ryann, and Thia bristled at the realization that it was more than a tad hypocritical that the person who raved for hours on punctuality and efficiency last night was the only person not on time for bridge duty. By the way Cassidy was gripping the back of Ryann's chair, she knew he felt the same.  
            "Where's the Captain?" she asked him tightly, and Cassidy relaxed his hold on the chair, leaning back on his heels to address Thia.  
            "Monthly physical." he replied, and Neesa joined the two, forgoing her meaningless fiddling,  
            "I slipped Ailee 20 units to tell Ryann she has to let everyone off on shore leave. We've been constantly going for three months. It's slave labor." Neesa said in a conspiratorial whisper, and Thia nodded her head absentmindedly.  
            "Did she take the 20?" she asked Neesa.  
            "Yeah," Neesa said, "but I suspect she pocketed it without planning on showing me results."  
            "I told you both to never bribe that woman." Cassidy said pointedly, and the two women glowered at him. He fell silent.  
            "Anyways," Neesa continued, returning her gaze to Thia, "it's probably best that she didn’t follow through on the bribe. Would've been grounds for mutiny."  
            "Wouldn't be the first time." Thia said, a smile playing on the corners of her lips, "I would think that whoever processes the court martial forms at HQ immediately discards any sent by our ship at this point." Both Neesa and Cassidy smiled, and a small bit of the tension in the three rolled away, solidarity shouldering some of the burden.  
            "Hey!" Xie called from his seat, "Please! This is a work environment, and in order to remain efficient, we can't be happy ever." The jab at the Captain elicited a huge response, a laugh rippling through the bridge.  
            "None of you should laugh who has never had to sit through one of the Captain's powerpoints!" Neesa shouted good-naturedly, wagging a finger dramatically. Xie gasped and covered Darh'el's ears, the boy blushing madly.  
            "Not in front of the boy! You can't insult the Captain in front of her little mini-me!" Xie said, clasping Darh'el's head to his chest.  
            "Please!" Darh'el shouted exasperatedly, pulling himself from Xie's clingy grasp. The bridge erupted in a peal of laughter, and the doors opened, Ryann and Ailee stepping into the room.  
            "What!" Ryann said, confused, "What's going on?! What's so funny?!" She hopped down from the stairs to where her three friends stood. "What happened??" Neesa shooed her away, gasping for air. Irritation washed over Ryann, and she crossed her arms tightly and sat down in her chair. The laughter died away on its own, and Ryann still sat rigidly, lips a thin line.  
            "If you're all done with that," Ailee chimed in, and everyone looked over that the doctor in surprise, forgetting she had come in with Ryann, "I'd like to announce to the bridge that I have ordered the crew to partake in a mandatory shore leave to begin as soon as we reach the next sustainable planet to humanoid species." There was a breaking of murmurs as everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, Xie slumping forward over his panel dramatically.  
            "How'd you do it?" he asked from his position face-down on the controls.  
            "Basically, after conducting all of the monthly physicals, I've seen a steady rise in high blood-pressure, anxiety, and overall weariness. The shore leave is essential for the well-being of the crew." She gave a pointed look at Ryann. "The entire crew." Ryann waved her hand nonchalantly, and Ailee stepped down the stairs and over to Thia. "As First Officer I'm letting you know that Ryann is being ordered to partake in shore leave in one way or another." She said to Thia, but loud enough for the whole bridge to hear. Ryann gave a forced laugh.  
            "And I'm telling you, as the Captain, that I see no need to stop my work just because others can't keep up."  
            Ailee shook her head sardonically. "Ryann, your body is literally giving out on you. Another week of this constant working and you'll be bedridden." She turned back to Thia, who looked critically at Ryann for any signs of fatigue. To her, the Captain looked perfectly fine. Ailee turned to leave, making her way back up the steps.  
            "She isn't sleeping. She barely eats anything substantial. She's always on the bridge or poring over charts and that damn Captain's Log of hers. She's going to participate in shore leave just as much as the rest of you." Her voice conveyed a warning, and she entered the lift without waiting for Ryann's retort.  
            "She exaggerates." Ryann said simply, and Thia shook her head and pointed to the conference room, Ryann pursing her lips but standing to comply. When the two reached the room, Thia closed the door behind them, sealing them off from the other crewmen.  Alone, she wheeled on the Captain.  
            "Dude." She said firmly, and Ryann innocently batted her eyes. "Seriously? What the hell is going on?" Ryann's face dropped and she slouched forward, all of her electric energy from before gone.  
            "It's really not that big of a deal." She said, taking off her glasses to rub her eyes.  
            "It is if you're letting it affect the crew and your job." Thia said sharply.  
            "I—I really don't know what you expect me to say to you." Ryann said, a coolness seeping into her tone.  
            "Well, gee, I don't know Cap'n, what about the truth? If you hold back information from me you're hurting the safety of the ship. You need to tell me things because I'm you First Officer and I'm also your friend." Thia said hotly.  
            "I'm just a little stressed out right now, ok!" Ryann shouted, arms stiffly to her sides. "Everything is happening a bit too quickly for me to get a grip at the moment!"  
            "And?"  
            "'And' what? I'm freakin' out. Soon this year will be over and then we have one more year left on course and then," she snapped her fingers, "nothing. We have no chart, no plan. We're literally going somewhere no one has ever gone before. It's fucking me up."  
            "Isn't it what you've always wanted?" Thia asked, softening.  
            "Dead god, yes. That doesn't make it any less hard." Ryann said, rubbing her neck. "We might die out there, alone, or we might fuck up and lose our jobs, or we might incite a war like Picard did on the Enterprise 1700-E. There are so many ways it can go wrong and all of them will be because of me." Thia stood for a moment, silent.  
            "But you have the best crew in the Fleet. You have the most loyal men and women at your command. You have friends beside you, you have Cassidy and Neesa. You have Darh'el and Torlack to keep you strong. You have me. And I do not give you permission to go nuts on me. I can't run this ship, I'd kill Cassidy." She said, and the pair stood awkwardly next to one another, Thia knowing that Ryann would flinch from any physical comfort, Ryann knowing that Thia was subject to practical advice, not emotional coddling.  
            "I know. And I won't be like this forever. I just—needed to make sure I was doing my best. Working everyone at their fullest capabilities. Preparing us for what's out there. I have you all, but I feel alone. I'm disconnected from all of you. And it's a good thing, because every crew needs to maintain distance from the Captain. It's what keeps the ship operating. It's just so isolating sometimes. But I'll be fine." Ryann said, her voice strained. Thia saw how Ryann slumped and blankly stared at nothing and hoped she was being truthful.  
            "Shore leave will do you good." Thia said, mostly to herself, and Ryann snorted.  
            "I will not be going down for shore leave." She said resolutely, and Thia's eyebrows drew together worriedly.  
            "But Ailee said—"  
            "I don't care what Ailee said. I'm remaining on the ship. I will not leave it. I'll have my own private shore leave here." Ryann snapped, and she stood, abruptly ending the conversation. "Have Xie plot a course to the nearest habitable planet for the leave. Stay on warp factor one." She flung the door open and stalked out of the room and into the lift, leaving the bridge. In all the elation over shore leave, most of the crew didn't notice the low spirits of the Captain. Cassidy caught Thia's eye from where she still stood in the doorway of the conference room. She gave him a small shrug and he followed Ryann off of the bridge, presumably to chastise her on her declining health and suggest work out routines. While slightly misguided, Cassidy was truly worried about the Captain and was acting on it the only way he knew how. Thia left Ryann to deal with that one on her own.  
   
***  
   
            The gigantic planet in the Omicron Delta quadrant loomed peacefully in space in front of the Abyss. Scores of crewmen were disembarking every hour, beaming down to the planet for some much-needed rest and relaxation. The last group of twelve beamed down on the Thia's command, leaving only the Head Officers on board.  
            "Shall I begin prep for the C.O. landing party?" Torlack asked Thia, hands ghosting the display panel.  
            "Not just yet." Thia replied, stonily staring at the door to the transporter room, "I want to check in with everyone and the Captain before we beam down." The rest of the C.O.s were waiting outside of the transporter room, chatting amicably amongst themselves. Neesa and Lar-Ya were tingled together, arms around each other and leaning against one another. Their faces were defiant, as if they expected someone to tell them to stop being so touchy. Cassidy was uncomfortable against the two, being pushed into the wall any time they began kissing. Xie was animatedly speaking at top-speed, everyone laughing at the right moments. They looked relaxed. Thia was sorry to have to ruin it for them.  
            "Thia!" Lar-Ya yelled, everyone looking up as she walked over, "When are we leaving?"  
            "Yeah!" Xie shouted, hanging off of Thia's arm, "I want to feel grass under my feet again!"  
            "Well…" Thia trailed off, and she gave everyone am apologetic smile.  
            "Fucking hell." Xie said, letting his playful attitude drop, "We're not going."  
            "Well…" Thia said again, and the group started complaining, voices echoing around the empty hall.  
            "Listen," Thia began in an attempt to reel everyone in, "Ryann's still on the ship. We shouldn’t leave her alone."  
            "You're right! We shouldn't!" Xie agrees, coming around to stand behind Thia and place his hands on her shoulders, "Which is why you can stay and the rest of us will go."  
            "The Captain deserves shore leave just as the rest of us do." Cassidy said from the back, "It would be wrong for us to leave her here by herself."  
            "For once I agree dumb and dumber," Ailee sighed, scratching her ear, "It would be unwise for us to leave for rest while she remains here to stew in dead god knows what. She needs distracting."  
            "Thanks, Mom." Thia grinned, and Ailee sighed again.  
            "Don't call me that."  
            "I'm going to stay." Darh'el said in a small voice. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and walked down the hallway towards the lift. The rest of the group looked silently at one another, some more irritated than others, and they wordlessly followed behind Darh'el.  
            The group rode the lift up to the floor where Ryann was quartered, Thia smiling as she saw Neesa slip Lar-Ya five units. Neesa saw Thia looking and winked, a surprising blush coloring Thia's cheeks. They followed Darh'el still to Ryann's rooms, where Darh'el walked in without knocking.  
            "Is he rude or just stupid?" Ailee asked gruffly, and the seven entered Ryann's rooms after. Darh'el had already made himself comfortable next to the Captain, who was scribbling furiously on a datapad and who was pursuing numerous Logs, which were arranged carefully on her table. Darh'el said something softly to Ryann, who jerked around to see the rest of the C.O.s in her room. Some (Xie, Ailee, and Lar-Ya) were standing awkwardly, never having been to her rooms before. Others (Neesa, Thia, and Torlack) flopped down on the couch or the pillows on the ground, already comfortable with Ryann enough to not care. Cassidy remained at attention, hands clasped behind his back.  
            "Let me guess." Ryann said, clicking off her datapad, "You couldn't bear to leave your beloved Captain behind no matter how horrid I was to you all in the past week."  
            "Some more than others." Xie muttered under his breath, but he smiled genuinely at Ryann all the same.  
            "It was most illogical that the one member of the crew who needed shore leave the most was the one who wasn't resting." Torlack said from the ground, where he was piling up pillows to sit on.  
            "So this is the plan instead? Sit here rotting away with me when you could be resting up? I feel bad enough as it is." Ryann said, but her tone was soft.  
            "Absolutely not." Thia said indignantly from a bundle of blankets on the couch, "Just because we can't go to shore leave doesn't mean shore leave can't come to us."  
            "Really?" Ryann asked, laughing, "That's your selling line?"  
            "Shut up, ungrateful." Thia said, "Ok so what's something you want to do on the ship? Or something you've always wanted to do?"  
            "And please don't say another powerpoint." Xie said  
            "I don't want to force you guys to do something you don't like." Ryann resisted.  
            "That's never stopped you before." Neesa pointed out, and Ryann shot her a look.  
            "No, I make you guys do things to make sure I've tried to culture you in any way I can before you're doomed forever." She said, and Neesa blew her a kiss.  
            "Hurry up and think of something." Ailee said, "I don't want to stand around all day." Ryann sat in her desk chair next to Darh'el.  
            "God, I've just blanked out on just about everything I like." She moaned.  
            "Have you thought of the holodeck?" Darh'el spoke, and a wide grin split Ryann's face.  
            "Shit, boy, you just gave me a great idea."  
   
***  
   
            "The name of the game, ladies and gentlemen, is laser tag." The holodeck had been programmed to look like a gigantic open space cluttered with various walls, pillars, and crawl spaces. There was a loft-type floor above them, which could be reached via a ladder on the south side or an easy-access ramp on the north. There were two bases, one on both end, and a bullseye above the team flags.  
            "And this is a game?" Neesa asked, puzzled.  
            "It's a strategy game." Ryann corrected, and she walked to a rack of makeshift guns and armor, slipping the breastplate over her chest.  
            "It's simple. Two teams. Two bullseyes. Nine players. First team to lose all points from a bullseye loses. Or, first team to lose all players loses. Two halves of the game."  
            "I'm pumped. Who makes what teams?" Thia asked, shifting from foot to foot with energy.  
            "Two captains, we pick teams by traditional one-at-a-time." Ryann said, and she gestured with a finger for Thia to stand next to her. "I'll choose first." She said, giving Thia a wicked grin.  
            "You want Thia to be the opposing captain?" Xie laughed.  
            "Of course. Who better to strategize against that my right-hand-man? Keep me fresh." Ryann replied, and Thia felt a wave of relief warm her as she saw Ryann's color come back and her energetic aura.  
            "Bring it, nerd. Your call to pick."  
            "Cassidy." Ryann said without a second of thought, and Cassidy materialized behind her, Ryann smiling slyly at Thia. "Well gee, Thia, looks like I have the best marksman."  
            "Xie." Thia said, ignoring Ryann's taunts, high-fiving Xie as he garbbed a weapon and armor and donned them behind her.  
            "Lar-Ya."  
            "Neesa."  
            "Darh'el." Ryann smirked as Thia looked between Torlack and Ailee.  
            "Torlack." I'd rather have clumsy than deadweight any day, Thia thought as Ailee trudged over to Ryann's group. Once the teams were properly attired and outfitted with weaponry, Ryann keyed in the code to dim the lights, and soon the entire makeshift battleground was swathed in neon lights.  
            "The guns are live now, so watch out." Ryann said to the crew, and Ailee immediately turned her weapon inward and fired on herself, right at the stomach. The armor made a loud beeping noise and flashed red, indicating an in-game death.  
            "Whoops." She said flatly, and she moved to the edge of the room, pulling out a cigarette. "I'll referee." Instead of expressing annoyance, Ryann smiled in the eerie darkness, accentuated by the strobe lights.  
            "Looks like we're even now. May the best team win."  The two groups made their way over to their own bases, armor alighting with the team color as each one stepped over their threshold. Once both Ryann and Thia had conversed with their groups and strategized, they placed their hands on a timer to begin the game.  
            "3…"  
            "2…"  
            "1…"  
            "GO!"  
   
***

The teams broke apart quickly—deadly efficient training being put to use in the laser tag high-stakes games. Thia watched from the corner she sprinted to as the rest of her crew fanned out. She had given them basic direction and the skeleton of her plan and the golden rule “don’t get in my way,” and left the rest to their good judgement. She was blessed with a competent team even if a few of them weren’t the most adept with a weapon. Her strategy was centered around the idea that 1. Ryann didn’t like to play things conventionally and 2. her team, while all fiery shooters, weren't exactly the most loyal of the bunch when it came to war strategy. More than once both Lar-Ya and Cassidy had lost their cool with Ryann over some part of her strategies in the field, and Thia planned to exploit that ticking time-bomb to its fullest. Xie shadowed her, nearly undetectable. He was a great ground-crew man, and Thia smiled as she thought about how, in another life, he would’ve probably been ground crew.   
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure dart behind a column, feigning as though she hadn’t seen it. If there were two things she could count on it’s that Ryann had some sort of guard system at her base to protect points and that she’d sent over someone to sneak into their territory and carve away at their own points. It was quick, effective, and utterly pointless in this scenario. Let them try to reduce our points, Thia thought wryly, when they don’t have anyone left.   
Her plan molded itself to Ryann’s perfectly. They were going to take out the guards, root out the little spy, and then hunt down the final one-to-two by covering both bases and sweeping the field. Or they’d just blast away all their points if it got lame. Whatever came first. The best defense is offense, sometimes. So, Thia and Xie made steady progress to the north end of the room to wipe out the guards. She had left Neesa to act as guard ( a decoy) so that they could locate the spy later on, while Torlack was stationed above in the loft as a sniper. She checked her watch and saw that the game had been on for three minutes. Ample time to dart across the room and take out Neesa. Sure enough, on cue, there was a shrill beeping and a cry of surprise as Neesa was killed in-game. Xie materialized behind her and chuckled under his breath.  
“For the greater good huh?” Thia smiled in the darkness.   
“If Torlack isn’t completely useless he’ll snipe whoever that was.” There was a beat of silence and then another shrill beep as someone else was killed. Thia and Xie drew closer to the base, taking their time, until a shuffling noise halted behind them and Darh’el ran into their line of fire, Xie quick to shoot the boy directly in the chest. The beep reverberated through their bones and Darh’el dejectedly fell to his knees.  
“Is it too much to ask for that you would tell us what Ryann’s planned?” Thia taunted, and Darh’el mutely stood.   
“Intermission.” he said and Thia gave him a confused look before the lights shot on, burning everyone’s eyes.  
“Fuck!” Xie cursed loudly, and the three of them walked to their respective bases. Thia was not pleased to see that both Neesa and Torlack’s chests were bright red.  
“What the fuck? You too??” she asked Torlack exasperatedly, throwing her hands into the air. Torlack nodded.  
“I was shot from below as soon as Neesa was ‘killed’.” he said, putting air quotes around “killed.”   
“At least I took out the little rat.” Xie said savagely, and Thia gave him a look.  
“Hey, Rambo, tone it way the fuck down.” she said half-amused, half-serious. Xie shrugged but nodded.  
“So it’s two-to-three.” Thia said, thinking. “That stretches us a bit thin.”   
“Who’s gonna guard the bullseye?” Xie asked/  
“No one, dude. The bullseye means absolutely nothing in this game. It’s about taking the others out. Especially now that we’ve only got two of us.”  
“But Ryann’s group seems to think the bullseye is pretty important.” Xie countered, and Neesa snorted.  
“That’s ‘cause Ryann likes to play with what she knows.” Neesa threw her head back and laughed.  
“What’s so funny?” Xie asked, but Neesa just shook her head.  
“Dead god, if you don’t know you don’t know.” Thia ignored Neesa and snapped her fingers to bring Xie to attention.   
“New plan. Basics are the same. This time, we rush the base, take out who we need to, wait for the rest to come in and slaughter—I mean ‘kill’—them all. I estimate two guards, one person to wait for.” she said, twirling a strand of hair.   
“But what happens once we take out the guards? Sit there like sitting ducks? You know that they’ll have their third sweeping for us.”   
“Ok, after we take out the guards, you go up to the loft and snipe anyone who comes my way if I can’t catch them. We win.” Xie nodded in agreement, and the lights flickered that the second half of the game was beginning. “Let’s do this.”

***

The neon lights bathed everything once again in it’s after-image glow and Thia and Xie immediately took off running silently, weaving their way through the obstacles to reach Ryann’s base. There was one guard, Lar-Ya, who was scanning everything in a methodical sweep every minute.   
“Complicates things.” Xie muttered under his breath. “We’ll have to smoke out two now.”  
“Not necessarily,” Thia said, noticing the pattern with which Lar-Ya was surveying. “She is only paying attention to this half of the game. I’ll bet another one is right behind the column there, watching for us on that side.” Without warning, Xie shot Lar-Ya in the chest, and Thia smiled as the woman fell to her knees. Now the field was level. “Move around to the other side.” Xie ghosted around to the other side to take out the other guard. Sure enough, another mechanical screech echoed around as someone was killed.  
“Fuck!” Xie shouted, and Thia’s smile dropped as Ryann backed against the column she was standing next to, Xie kneeling in front of her. Thia immediately trained her gun on the Captain, who saw just in time Thia from the corner of her eye. Shoot Ryann, then wait for Cassidy to journey back from her base to sneak around to her and take him out. Bumpy, but more than possible. Thia squeezed the trigger and Ryann fell to her knees next to Xie, grinning broadly. Thia stiffened as she felt the barrel of a gun press to her side. Without so much as a word, Cassidy shot Thia, ending the game. The five of them stood stock still for a beat as the end-game trumpets sounded and the lights switched back on.  
“Luck?” Thia asked hopefully, but Ryann aged her an excited smile that was twisted to convey sadness. She didn’t pull it off. Ailee ran over from the loft ladder and scooted down it, breathless.  
“Ok, I’ve got the entire game recorded even though it’s sure to be on video. Would you care to explain your strategies? I want to make sure I know what really happened here.” she wheezed.  
“We counted on Ryann placing guards and sending people out to do recon and skim points from our bullseye. We planned on taking out both guards once we knew Darh’el was out then doubling back and eliminating the person who acted spy.” Thia said, and Ryann's smile grew.  
“We planned on you guessing that I would station guards and use a runner, so instead we had Lar-Ya take out your first guard, who was a decoy, right?” Thia nodded.  
“But it was Darh’el we ran into on the way to your base.” Xie protested.  
“Another decoy, right?” Thia suggested, and Ryann nodded.   
“We had to seem like we were keeping up with our regularly scheduled plan. Then as Lar-Ya took out Neesa, Cassidy was already trained on Torlack to take him out.”  
“How did you know—“  
“You wouldn’t take Torlack or Neesa out into the field. Torlack’s a klutz. You’d rely on speed, shadow, and surprise. Anyways, after the intermission we planned to have all three of us stationed here, Lar-Ya and I acting as more decoys as Cassidy waited for you. We played with what we knew.” Ryann couldn’t hide the smile. Thia, despite feeling irritated that she didn’t win, felt good seeing Ryann smiling so honestly.   
“Damn.” Thia said in way of congratulations and smiled back at Ryann, who glowed under the praise. The six walked back to the main entrance together, laughing and feeling more relaxed than they had in weeks. Once Thia relayed the scenario to the other three, Neesa began her laughing again.  
“I knew it! I tried to warn you guys!” she said between guffaws, and Thia and Xie looked at one another exasperatedly. “She did the same scenario she did with the Maru! I told you she’d go with what she knew!”   
“What she did with the Maru? The Kobayashi Maru?” Thia asked, and Ryann shrugged.  
“Dead God, you’re predictable!” Neesa screeched, and she sobered up enough to punch Lar-Ya in the arm. “Think you’re real funny shooting your girlfriend, huh?”   
“Hey, don’t blame me.” Lar-Ya said, gesturing to Ryann.  
“Wait, wait, wait. What was that about the Maru?” Xie asked again, “I never did hear the details from the horse’s mouth. Only rumors.”  
“It wasn’t that big of a deal.” Ryann said, faux modest, and Neesa rolled her eyes and opened the door into the hallway.  
“You guys should see the footage.”

***

The footage was clear and crisp, as if it had happened yesterday. Neesa skipped through most of the regulation parts to the moment of truth within the test—the run-in with the Klingons. Infamously, James T. Kirk of the original Enterprise-C had forged his data, and cheated the test. Restrictions on the Maru were tighter since then, and most people opted for the classic regulation responses. In the footage of Ryann’s test, though, Ryann ordered shields up and hailed the Klingons. Neesa turned up the volume.  
“…can’t offer you much, but I can offer you my life.”  
“And what would that be worth to us?” the simulation Klingon was saying, and the crew members of the bridge shuffled nervously, shocked.  
“I know the Klingon way. I submit myself to you in traditional solo combat. You let my ship pass unharmed and you shall have me to do as you will. Enslave me. Taut me around. Kill me.”  
“We will not let you reach the Maru’s distress call.” the Klingon said warningly, testing Ryann’s resolve.  
“The Maru has been dead for years. I can see that it’s true. But these people on my ship have life. And maybe not today, but sometime soon, they will forgive you for this, and life will go on.”  
“You would willing risk your life? Does it mean nothing to you?” Ryann stood from the chair and knelt down, hands splayed in a surrendering gesture.  
“No. Life is without meaning. My life for a true cause. It’s simple.” She answered unhesitatingly, and the crew (and the nine on the Abyss) seemed to hold their breath as they waited for an answer.  
“We will beam you aboard.”

***  
“But she still lost.” Xie said, puzzled.  
“Everyone loses, dipshit.” Neesa retorted, “It’s how you lose that matters. And Ryann’s surrender of her personal life really rocked the boat at the Academy.”  
“The Klingon’s could’ve still decimated the crew.” Thia offered, and Ryann smiled.  
“Boy, was that thrown in my face for months. But what it really came down to was what kind of situation I was in. I was taking a test. A test meant to test resolve, cunning, and leadership. I passed. I don’t even think I truly believe in what I said to the Klingons.” she said, and Thia stared hard at her friend, who was thinking back to her Academy days.  
“Jesus. Klingon-destroyer, Captain, and Laser Queen. I concede.” Thia said, and Ryann laughed.  
“Captain,” Torlack said as the video shut off, “ you look much better.”  
“Diagnosis?” Ryann said to Ailee, who pulled out another cigarette and put it between her teeth.  
“Eh, you look fine to me. Just take it easy for the rest of shore leave. And maybe exercise or some shit.” Cassidy lit up at the mention of a work out and began to lowly pester Ryann with different routines perfect for her. Ryann gave Thia a dead look and plastered on a fake smile. Xie rummaged around under the table for a bottle of brandy and soon everyone was laughing, talking, and smiling more than they had in a long, long time.  
Till Next Time.


	5. Episode Five: The Honor of Men

Absolute Zero was packed, crew and civilians alike dining and playing HOLOGAMES under the softly pulsating neon lights. The bartenders on staff were working double time, running to and fro with drinks that bubbled, misted, or changed colors. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, laughter spilling from tables and the customers radiating contented glows. However, the table that was by far the most raucous was the one situated on the upper level, directly in front of the observation window. Every once in a while the table would peal into shrieking laughter, or one of the table’s five occupants would shout something nearly unintelligible, drawing the attention of everyone else in the bar.   
“Not even the Prophets could guide you idiots!” Lar-Ya, Head Science Officer, was yelling over the chatter of the others at the table.   
“Oh, sit down, babe.” her girlfriend, Neesa, laughed, pulling the angry Bajoran by her blue sleeve down into her chair. “Thia’s right, you know. You wouldn’t last a day on a Klingon vessel.”  
“You wanna bet?” Lar-Ya growled, grabbing the drink on a waiter’s tray and tossing it back before he could protest. “What? Just put it on my tab.” Finishing the glass, she slammed the empty cup onto the table, crossing her arms. “I guarantee I could do better on a Klingon Bird-of-Prey than I do on this bureaucratic dump.”  
“Why didn’t you say so?” Ryann said, eyebrow raised. “If I’d known, I would’ve hurried those transfer papers to Gowron.” Lar-Ya pursed her lips, unsure whether to call the bluff.  
“Look,” Thia interjected, sitting languidly in her chair, “I wan’t even taking about how you’d perform on a Klingon ship. I’m talking about living on it. They don’t cater to off-world tastes and comforts. You would starve to death before you ever performed well.”  
“Oh, yeah?” Lar-Ya retorted, and despite the venomous look on her face, her eyes glittered with humor.  
“Uh, yeah.” Thia replied shortly.  
“Ok, well, I think I’m going to side with Lar-Ya on this one.” Ryann said. “You Klingons love big talk about your culture and it’s hardships but I never see anything to substantiate it.”   
“Clearly you haven’t been to Qo’nos.” Thia said, and her frowned when an infuriating smirk slid onto the Captain’s face.  
“Clearly.”   
Thia looked around the table at the sudden front formed against her, save for Cassidy, who hadn’t said a word throughout the entire argument.   
“Ok, then, since you all are so confident in your ability to stomach the Klingon way of life, why don’t we order a round of gagh? Of bloodwine? Remember, we are here because you all wanted to learn more about Klingon traditions due to the impending delegation arriving tomorrow.”  
“Why not? I’ve always wanted to try Klingon fare. I’m sure it’s delicious.” Neesa said first, and Cassidy gave a throaty chuckle from his seat.  
“Oh, shut up, Cassidy, you Klingaboo.” Ryann said, pushing him with her elbow.  
“Klingaboo?” Cassidy said slowly, confused.  
“You know, a Klingon fanatic. Like a weeaboo but with Klingon culture.”  
Cassidy gave a deep sigh, closing his eyes.   
“Waiter!” Thia shouted into the throng of people below, “Five goblets of bloodwine and one order of traditional gagh!”   
Ten minutes later, there were five cups of a deep purplish-red liquid that was thick and steamy and one ginormous plate of writhing serpent worms smothered in a venom sauce in the middle of the senior officers’ table. Thia relished in the look of absolute disgust on Ryann’s face.  
“Having second thoughts, are we?” Thia said sweetly, and Ryann’s look quickly dropped from her face.  
“Not at all. I was just getting used to the smell.” she said diplomatically, picking up a fork. Before any of the women could dig in, Cassidy’s fork speared a large clump of the worms, the wriggling increasing as they sensed their looming death. Without aplomb, Cassidy ate the forkful whole, chewing vigorously and washing it all down with a generous swig of his bloodwine. Thia smiled in appreciation at the security officer, who returned it with a rare smile of his own. Not one to be outdone, Lar-Ya quickly scooped up a forkful of her own and shoveled it quickly into her mouth, face dropping as the flavor washed over her. Desperate to wash the taste down, Lar-Ya imitated Cassidy’s gulp of bloodwine. Met with an even stronger and fouler taste, Lar-Ya gagged the concoction down her throat, tears springing up in her eyes.  
“I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to finish an entire bite.” Thia said kindly, biting back laughter at the terror on Lar-Ya’s face. Ryann and Neesa exchanged looks and each took tiny nibbles of the gagh, their faces souring.  
“You’re telling me Klingons love this dish?” Ryann said disbelievingly.  
“Of course not.” Thia said, confused. “It’s utterly disgusting.”  
“Then why do you eat it?” Neesa asked, inspecting the inside of her cup.  
“It’s eaten solely for the death-throe spasms it induces in the mouth and stomach.” Thia responded simply, eating a forkful for herself.   
“Truly a delicacy.” Cassidy agreed, gulping down bloodwine.   
“And is all food served… still living?” Neesa asked.  
“Yep.” Thia grinned, sending the other three women groaning and lamenting their Klingon State dinner arranged for the next evening.

***

Cassidy and Thia laid Ryann down gently on her bed, only after Thia suggested they should drop her on the floor by her door.  
“It’s her own fault for being a lightweight.” Thia grunted as they hoisted her over their arms, facedown into her pillow.  
“I think you may have to take some of the blame for instigating a bloodwine-shot competition. The women on this ship are far too prideful for their own good.” Cassidy said in a whisper, contentious of the snoring half-Vulcan.   
“Yeah, about that, where’d you learn to hold your bloodwine that well? I mean, I knew you studied abroad but I didn’t expect that.” Thia said, following Cassidy out into the hall.  
“I spent a year on Qo’nos. I learned much.”   
“Oh yeah?” Thia said, a snarky smile making Cassidy cringe, “How much?”   
“Enough. To get me by in Klingon circles without having someone attempt to stab me through the neck. To know that the Klingon emissary coming aboard tomorrow is your blood relative.” Cassidy replied evenly, and Thia’s smile dropped, replaced with a blank stare.  
“I don’t think you need to know the innermost secrets of Klingon culture to notice “Krell” on the ships’ manifest.” she said blandly, and Cassidy’s eyebrows raised. Uncomfortable with the sudden silence, Thia sighed loudly and rocked on her heels, cracking her knuckles. “He’s my cousin.”  
“And?”  
“And, I haven’t talked to that side of the family in a very long time. Actually, I don’t really want to talk about it.”   
Cassidy gave her the same infuriating level gaze that he seemingly never broke, Thia bringing to sweat under his intensity.  
“Does the Captain know?”  
“Of course she knows. I went to her as soon as I got the orders.”  
“And?”  
“God, would you stop with that? AND she asked me what I wanted to do about it. But i’ve got a job to do, and I can’t really avoid this one.” Thia shot back. The two lapsed into another silence, this time less uncomfortable. Cassidy placed a hand on Thia’s shoulder, surprising her.  
“I think you will be fine.” he said with finality, and Thia felt a wash of relief settle over her.   
“Thanks.”  
***

Thia sighed as she pulled at her stiff collar on her ambassadorial robes, unconsciously twirling a few strands of hair in her fingers. Her hair was pulled back, revealing her Klingon ridges on proud display, an unspoken challenge. She watched as Ryann warmly greeted the Klingon ambassadors onto the ship, exchanging firm handshakes and throaty laughs.  
“It is an honor to present to you my First Officer, Thia Z. Krell, who just last night accustomed me to the potency of a flagon of bloodwine.” Ryann said easily to the four Klingon men, adorned in resplendent armor.  
“Thia, daughter of Sarn.” the Klingon in front said sternly, his eyes flaming. “It has been a long time.” Thia tensed as she felt the eyes of the other senior officers fall on her.  
“Indeed.” Thia replied callously, staring her cousin, Togyn, dead in the eye. There was a tense moment as neither of them broke contact, then Thia looked away, earning a disgusted grunt from Togyn.   
“Too much time with humans, perhaps. Anyways, when do the festivities begin? I hear there is to be a Klingon Opera show for us tonight!” Togyn said, his cold front immediately glossed over as he addressed the Captain.   
“Dinner and the show begin at 1830 hours in the Observation Lounge. We are privileged to host the Klingon Operatic Troupe who just recently perfected their adaptation of “Khamlet” for the opera stage.” Ryann said, gesturing to the Klingon company to exit the transporter room ahead. She threw Thia a confused look, unsure how to react to the previous interaction between the Klingons, but Thia averted her gaze, staring at a scuff on the transporter.   
“A treat for us all!” one of the Klingons in Togyn’s company exclaimed heartily, following Togyn out the doors. Thia noticed the slightly sour look on Cassidy’s face.  
“Not a fan of the Klingon Opera?”   
“It was one of the few aspects of Klingon culture that I could never take to.” he said wryly. Thia smiled, grateful for Cassidy’s solidarity in the face of the Opera.  
It was a few hours later, when the Klingon Operatic Troupe entered their second act, that Thia was ready to grab the nearest bat’leth and slice off her ears. The steely look and sweat on Cassidy’s forehead told her that he was feeling the same way. Togyn, two seats down from her, was merrily clapping and growling along to the music, jostling Ryann in her seat.   
“That was… stupendous!” He shouted after the Troupe finished their bows and received their tokens of thanks from the Klingon ambassadors and the hosting Federation. “Truly, a spectacle. That Shakespeare of yours… he had the heart of a Klingon!”   
“It was a remarkable adaptation, to be sure.” Ryann responded, equally as enthusiastic. “One of the finest adaptations I’ve ever seen! The way the Klingon’s have moulded the ethos of Hamlet into the Klingon way of life… it’s unrivaled!” Behind Ryann, Thia snorted loudly, not bothering to hide her amusement at Ryann’s eager responses to Shakespearean critique.   
“You didn’t approve?” Togyn said roughly, looking over Ryann’s head to his cousin.  
“It’s not that I didn’t approve.” Thia said sardonically, plastering a fake smile on, “It’s that I don’t see why you needed to change the fundamentals of the play to fit the cut of Klingon society. Why not just perform the play with it’s integrity intact?”   
“A fair criticism.” Ryann agreed, nodding distractedly.   
“Fair? More like asinine. Perhaps you argue against the changes to the play because you resist anything traditionally Klingon.” Togyn replied harshly, and Thia’s head snapped up to meet his eyes.   
“Not everything has to be about humanity versus Klingon, Togyn. Sometimes an intellectual debate is just a debate. It seems it is you who cannot look past human culture.”   
Togyn pushed Ryann aside, the Captain wide-eyed at the indelicacy with which he handled her. Thia lifted her chin to meet him, bracing herself for a Klingon stare-down.   
“Gowron was right. You are no Krell. You are not even Klingon. You are unfit to lead the Krell House in the Council, and so to protect the House, I will have to take it from you.”  
***

Space.

The Final Frontier. 

These are the voyages of the Starship Abyss.

Her eternal mission: 

To explore new worlds,

Establish friendships among life,

To boldly go where no one has gone before. 

 

Thia stared at Togyn, acutely aware of how they had drawn the attention of everyone in the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Cassidy’s hand ghosting his hip, fingers brushing his phaser.  
“If you are issuing a formal challenge, Togyn, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. You are guests of the Federation and it is within my rights to reject your challenge in my own place of duty.” Thia said coldly, gauging the reaction from her cousin. Her attempt to somewhat diffuse the situation worked, and Togyn backed away a step in contemplation.  
“I never gave an official challenge. I reserve that right. But I am doing you a courtesy in telling you that I fear you have spent far too much time with these humans. You seem to lack enough Klingon to protect the interests of the House.” Togyn replied evenly, and Thia shrugged, trying to ease back even more tension.  
“You think what you want. I don’t answer to you.”   
“It’s unfortunate that you seem to truly believe that.” Togyn said after a moment of silence, and he turned on his heel, ending any retort Thia would have volleyed back with. “Captain, I apologize for the disruption of an otherwise excellent evening. I would love to hear more of your thoughts on Klingon Operatic Adaptations at a later time. For now, I think I will retire.” With a nod, Togyn and his company exited the Observation Deck, leaving only Federation officers milling about. Ryann turned to Thia, the expression of concern on her face too painful and embarrassing for Thia to feel comfortable with.  
“Thia—“  
“It’s fine.” Thia said brusquely, and she strode off the deck, not waiting for Ryann’s reply. 

***

Thia tossed and turned in her bed the entire night. She got up twice, debating whether or not to hail Ryann and share her anxieties with her, but both times she felt a tightening in her chest, prohibiting her from making it to the comm. If anything, she was angry. Truly, earthshakingly angry. The waves of fury were followed by stabs of embarrassment, loneliness, and extreme worry. She already felt so isolated from the other crew, but this fiasco was directing a huge spotlight onto just how different she truly was from everyone—her own culture, her people, she didn’t fit. Part of her almost wished that Togyn would declare an official challenge, just so she could feel justified in her violent rage. She glanced at the clock, dismayed that there were two hours before she had bridge duty. Worse, tomorrow the ground crew would accompany the Klingon ambassadors to a Klingon outpost to reconcile the warring Houses that resided there, their mini civil war impeding production of ore for the Empire. Reaching for her datapad, she checked the roster of the ground crew tomorrow. If I’m going to suffer, I want to suffer in good company. Ryann, Xie, Cassidy, herself, and two no-name red shirts. And the Klingon company, of course. Sighing, she tossed the datapad on a pile of dirty clothes on the ground and threw one arm over her eyes, pressing down firmly. She was going to feel like shit in the morning.

***

It was 9:03 am, and she felt like shit. Xie was unbearably chipper, trading quips with the Captain. Cassidy was his usual stoic self, standing still as Ryann went over their mission brief once more, a nervous habit of hers. The two red shirts were behind them, glum at their poor luck of drawing the morning mission, and to a Klingon outpost, no less. Ryann had been waiting for Thia in the hallway outside the transporter room.  
“You don’t have to come, you know.”  
“‘Don’t have to’? Since when have you ever let someone off of ground crew?” She replied good-naturedly, and she felt a twinge of annoyance as a fleeting look of pity crossed Ryann’s features.   
“I’m just saying that I know having your cousin on board isn’t ideal and—“  
“Look, it’s my job. I’m doing my job. The Federation isn’t going to hold my hand just because I’m a little uncomfortable. I’ll manage.” Thia interjected, sweeping past Ryann into the transporter room. Ryann hadn’t brought it back up since, instead diving right into their mission for the day, the six of them just waiting on the Klingon company to arrive. When they did arrive, Togyn barely acknowledged Thia, picking up a conversation with Ryann on the differences between Klingon novels and Human novels. By 9:35 the entire party was beamed onto the surface of Narenda III, equipment and all. Thia immediately got to work using a tricorder to scan the surface area, locating how far from their destination they were beamed to.   
“About 5 kliks from the drop-point.” she said, and Ryann nodded, shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand.  
“So, we learn, we inspect, and we reconcile.” she said, partly a statement, partly a question.  
“Correct.” Togyn replied, his armor glinting in the harsh sunlight. “This is a very isolated outpost, so the wariness of outsiders will be greater here than, say, Qo’nos. Try not to cause trouble.” Thia felt as though this last statement was directed at her, and she felt her neck burn with anger.  
“Who’s causing trouble?” She said mean-spiritedly, ignoring the warning look from Ryann. The entire party trekked the 5 kliks to the outpost, seeing the village as they crested a tall hill. The complex was quite small, comparable to a farming village, and Togyn began pointing out spots of interest to the party. He had been right about the natives being suspicious of outsiders—their groups received more than one contemptuous glare.   
“tlhIngan Hol Dajatlh’a’?" a voice from Thia’s right called out to her, and she turned to see an older woman with a laughably normal smock on skinning some pipius.   
“Sorry,” she said in response, avoiding the woman’s eye, “I don’t know Klingonese.”   
“Hmph.” Togyn said from the front of the group. “Some Klingon you are.”   
“Oh, not this again.” Thia muttered under her breath, but Togyn took the bait too easily.   
“Kahless above, Thia! Do you have no respect for your own culture? Or are you a human in Klingon skin?”  
“Actually, Togyn, I’m half-human, half-Klingon. But thanks for trying.” Thia bit back, the words coming out more harshly that she had originally intended.   
“It becomes even more painfully obvious every time you open your mouth.” Togyn growled. Thia sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes and focusing on her tricorder.   
The rest of the mission was just as agonizing as Thia had expected it to be, the natives staunchly opposed to any form of concessions to their rivals on the other side of the land mass.   
“You cannot expect them to give in so easily.” Togyn said reassuringly to Ryann, who was massaging her temples in annoyance. “We Klingons are a proud race. To allow for compromise is to accept failure and weakness. We need to make the deal beneficial for both sides.”   
“I understand that, Togyn.” Ryann aid wearily, cracking her neck. “I just wish it weren’t so runabout. It seems like every time we make a step forward, we’re really making two step backs with the other outpost.”  
“Probably because the outposts will never see eye-to-eye.” Thia said offhandedly, rubbing her neck. “They’re making us chase our own tail. We look like idiots.”  
“We need to have confidence and force them to see reason.” Togyn said, ignoring Thia’s remarks.   
“We need to just come up with a pact on our own and give them incentives to comply.” Thia said, crossing her arms.  
“You obviously have no experience in dealing with Klingon peoples.” Togyn laughed derisively.  
“Or perhaps your twisted sense of honor is coddling these people and creating a harder job for us than necessary.” Thia retorted, tired of the constant nit-picking Togyn subjected her to. “Not everything has to conform to Klingon values, Togyn.”  
“Only someone without honor would suggest the idea of toying with others’.” Togyn said harshly, striding up to Thia and pushing her over into the dirt. Thia gave a disbelieving snort, sprawled on the ground.  
“So, we’re pushing each other now? Is this the best display of Klingon honor? Grow up.”  
“You even shy away from Klingon courtesies! I wager you would not last a single day on the streets of the First City!” Togyn roared, and Thia steeled herself for another blow. Instead, Togyn bit into his hand, spitting blood at Thia’s feet.  
“It is good that your father died with honor, so that he could not see what dishonor you bring on the Great House of Krell. You are unfit to lead the estate, and therefore I claim my right to lead by combat.” Ryann shouted something unintelligible from behind them, by Thia watched Cassidy restrain the Captain, grateful that he wouldn’t let her interfere. Thia repeated the gesture of Togyn, her own blood coloring the already reddish earth at her cousin’s feet.   
“If only to shut you up, I accept.”

***

There were five missed hails from Ryann on Thia’s comm unit. She had been fielding visits and contact from her Captain since they returned from the outpost, the mission all but abandoned as Togyn claimed his right for an official trail by combat on Qo’nos, the Klingon home world. There was just under 23 hours until they docked at the planet, and Thia knew Togyn was preparing by running through programs on one of the holodecks. It worried her that he seemed so confident in his ability to wrench her heirship from her. He wouldn’t have challenged her had he thought otherwise. Thia’s door chimed, drawing her from her deep thoughts.  
“Not today, Ryann.” she called, pulling a pillow over her face.   
“I am not Ryann.” Cassidy’s deep voice called back, muffled a bit through the door.  
“Oh. Come in.” Thia said, sitting up on her bed as Cassidy walked in.  
“It is very dark in here.” Cassidy said simply, awkwardly standing between piles of clothes and equipment.   
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Thia responded, unsure of why Cassidy would visit her. They both looked around her quarters, not speaking. Cassidy coughed.  
“Are you prepared for your trial tomorrow?” he asked, and Thia picked at her skin around her nails.  
“Not beating around the bush, are we?” she said wryly. When Cassidy gave no reply, she nodded her head. “Yeah, I guess I am.” There was another prolonged silence.  
“If you had not yet picked a second…I would be more than honored to support you.” He finally said, and Thia felt a weight she hadn’t even known was there lift from her shoulders.   
“That would…that would mean a lot to me, Cassidy.” Thia said, relieved. Cassidy averted his eyes, nodding multiple times.  
“Yes, well. That was all I had to ask.” He turned to leave, Thia watching him maneuver so that he didn’t step on any of her stuff. “I also wanted to say that the Captain is very worried about you.” Thia gave a courtesy smile.  
“Yeah, well, she doesn’t have to be.” Cassidy stopped in her doorway, going her a stern look.   
“I think you don’t see just how similar your situations are. I’ll wait for you at Transporter Room Three when we orbit Qo’nos.” With that, he slid from view, leaving Thia alone once again.

***

Both Cassidy and Ryann were waiting for Thia at the transporter room.   
“I was invited since you’re my second-in-command.” Ryann explained before Thia could ask, and Thia felt her stomach twist. She didn’t want Ryann there, but there was no use in trying to deter the inevitable. Togyn entered the room, flanked by his comrades, sneering.   
“Did you sleep well on your comfortable human bed?” he said, and Thia elected to ignore him, focusing on stretching the muscles in her forearms. “You and your comfortable Federation life.” Togyn continued, and Thia knew that he was displaying Klingon technique in shaming an enemy before battle. “You would not even know there was a warrior on board.”  
“We are ready to beam down.” Cassidy said, breaking the stream of insults from Togyn.  
“Excellent.” Togyn grinned, displaying his numerous stained and crooked teeth. “You shall see the splendor of the First City and the might of the Empire.” He said to Ryann, whose forehead was lined with worry.  
“I’m sure it will be quite the spectacle.” She said, giving the Klingon a hasty smile. The engineer on duty, Lt. Zhang, informed the party that she was ready to have them step onto the transporter plates. In a matter of seconds, the Abyss dissolved around them, their atoms being minutely rearranged in the middle of the Klingon High Council, where Chancellor Gowron and the leaders of the Great Houses awaited them. The hall was breathtaking. It was dark, decorated only in black and blood-red. The insignia of the Klingon Empire adorned everything from the tapestries to the sunken chambers on the columns that held pits of fire for light. The Council members stood before them as if heroes out of time, heavy armor and rich robes swathing every Klingon. Gowron sat in his Chancellor’s chair, sprawled out lazily over the arms.  
“And so it comes to pass that the House of Krell desires a new leader.” Gowron said, his great voice echoing down the stone walls. “Togyn, son of Kern, has demanded the right of succession through a trial by combat. Do you, daughter of Sarn, accept the challenge?”  
“By my right, I do.” Thia said, sounding far more confident than she felt. It was truly electrifying being on Qo’nos and before the Council, but it magnified her feelings of inadequacy as a Klingon.  
“Togyn, do you have a second?” Gowron asked, and Togyn stepped forward.  
“I do. Rogh, son of Gogh, is my second.”  
“And do you, Thia, have a second?”  
“I do.” Thia said, also stepping forward. “Lt. Commander Cassidy of the Federation is my second.”  
“A human?” Togyn asked, sweeping his arm before the Council. “Even now, she resists the Klingon way!”  
“It is within her rights to choose who she wills to be her second.” Gowron said, his eyes boring holes into Thia, “Unusual though her choice may be.” Togyn glared at Thia, eager to move to the combat.   
“Make your final rights. You have five minutes.” Gowron said, and he gestured his aid to come to him, speaking in a low tone. Thia moved to a corner, watching as more aids brought a rack of various weapons out, situating it in between where she and Togyn were going to duel.   
“Thia…” Ryann said, hugging her arms close to her body, “is this a fight to the yield?”   
“Official duels can end in yielding, but the winning Klingon must take his right to end the others’ life. The losing Klingon’s life is forfeit to them, and would bring them great dishonor to be denied an honorable death.” Cassidy said when Thia didn’t answer. Thia shut her eyes, not wanting to watch Ryann’s reaction. She drowned all other noise out and focused on the blood rushing in her head, the deep breaths she was taking almost involuntarily. Klingon enough or not, her body craved the looming combat and lusted to draw blood.   
“Competitors, take up arms!” Gowron shouted, and Thia opened her eyes, watching as Togyn took a mat’leth from the rack. She moved to the rack after he had made a few cuts in the air with the weapon, looking over the choices. She grabbed a simple sword, the curved blade the only indication it was of Klingon make.   
“A predictable choice.” Togyn laughed behind her, and Thia barely had enough time to turn around before Togyn brought down his mat’leth, Thia deflected the blade with her own. Jumping back, she was surprised when Togyn charged at her, immediately putting her on the defensive. She jumped to the side, watching as he rushed into a column, grunting. Swinging her blade around to get a quick feel for it, Thia attempted to run him through while he was still facing the column, drop-rolling on the floor as Togyn brought his blade down in a low arc, nicking the shoulder of Thia’s uniform. Thia didn’t have to look down to know that he had drawn blood, the sensation of open flesh rippling through her arm. She assessed Togyn’s skill quickly, knowing that he had just been playing cat and mouse with her. Her cheeks seared, embarrassed at having been toyed with by Togyn. If she was going to force him to use his full strength, she was going to have to shake up the paradigm. Getting to her feet, Thia whirled around and ran at Togyn, not allowing herself to listen to the tiny voice of reason shrieking at her to stop. Togyn, who was more than ready for her, braced himself, laughing loudly and opening his arms as if he were accepting a hug.  
“Come to me, little grishnar! Now we begin to duel with honor!” he bellowed, and his steel met Thia’s as they slammed into one another, groaning.   
“Will you…shut up…about honor!” Thia said through gritted teeth, and Togyn threw his hands apart, forcing Thia to jump back or risk having her arm sliced off.   
“The Federation has turned you soft!” Togyn laughed, advancing slowly towards Thia. “Not even Sto-vo-kor awaits you after I claim the House. You are not Klingon enough to cross the River of Blood! Our ancestors shall watch as you are turned away to Gre’thor.” Thia could feel her anger coursing through her, her ears flooding with the sounds of her own blood blocking out all other sounds. Her vision became tunnel-like, able to only focus on Togyn ahead of her.  
“You join the humans, become one of them! Allow yourself to be lead by a half-breed Vulcan! What great shame and dishonor you’ve brought upon yourself, upon your family!” Togyn yelled, and Thia’s head swam with a flurry of anger and adrenaline. “I reclaim what honor you’ve destroyed, and will lead this House back to glory.” He raised his blade and began to charge. Thia could see the next five moves he was going to make, and she stepped to the side, a clash of human intuition and Klingon reflexes melding together, sharpening her senses.   
“Togyn!” She roared, and she threw her blade to the ground. Without looking away from Togyn, Thia reached behind her and plucked a bat’leth from the weapons rack, admiring the perfect weight in her hand. “chay' ‘IQ! You think that I do not know who I am, that I am foolish for giving into human ways. vabDot DaH latlh tlhIngan jIH puS reH!” Swinging the weapon with both hands, Thia felt a surge of confidence push her forward, slashing into the space where Togyn has been standing. She managed to slice his calf, and he howled in pain, limping away to rest against a wall. “I am more than the sum of my parts and I will never knee before you and feel ashamed of who I am!” Thia cornered Togyn, using the curved blade to block either escape without certain death. She was sweating buckets, and she relished in the look of terror on Togyn’s face.  
“You think me weak? You think me frail? qoH! You are frail of mind if you believe for one second that humanity has weakened me. The only one here without honor is you!” She swiped at him with her blade, and he gasped, flinging his blade out to stop her. She batted the blade aside, reveling in the superiority of the double blade. “You conspire against my house and attempt to take my birthright from me. Kahless have mercy on you in the afterlife.” Thia raised her blade and pointed one of the points under Togyn’s chin, both breathing heavily.  
“Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam. Today is a good day to die!” She brought down the point, but before her blade could sink into Togyn’s skin, her cousin sank to his knees.  
“jegh’a’!"   
The room was silent save for the heaving breaths coming from Thia, the room captivated.   
“He has surrendered.” Gowron said finally, standing from his chair. “Thia Z. Krell, daughter of Sarn, you have reclaimed your stolen honor and have won control as the rightful heir of the House Krell.”

***

Thia stood before the Council adorned in the insignia of her house and still coated in smears of blood mingled with sweat. The various members of the Council looked down at her—some with expressions of distaste, others with interest. Togyn knelt at her feet, head touching the ground in a show of shameful surrender. She still gripped the bat’leth tightly, knuckles white as she clung to her trophy.   
“In the sight of the Council, Thia has reclaimed her family honor and is the instated Head of the Great House of Krell. You may now take your Right of Vengeance.” Gowron said, holding his hand out to bestow his blessing as Chancellor.   
“I will not.” Thia said firmly, and the Council began shouting over one another, Gowron’s voice rising out over the rest.  
“You would deny yourself this right? You would deny your cousin an honorable death?” He shouted, and Thia lifted her chin defiantly.   
“I have had enough of being told what I can and cannot do as a Klingon. It is well within my rights to deny myself this.” She said angrily, and the room fell silent under her sharp words. “I’ll decide what’s honorable for myself. My vengeance may look different, but believe me, I’d rather Togyn live in shame knowing what he’s done than take his life and end his suffering.”  
“That is not our way!” Togyn shouted from the floor, looking up in terror at being left alive in dishonor.  
“It is my way!” Thia shouted back, and she brandished her bat’leth menacingly.  
“I wonder, Krell,” Gowron said, looking down at Thia with renewed interest, “if you truly believe this is vengeance or if you’ve let humanity touch your mind.”   
“So what if I have?” Thia said, “It is humanity that saved my life and reforged me when the Empire left me for dead.”   
Gowron nodded slowly, and Thia hoped that his expression was one of approval.  
“I cannot expect you to conform entirely to the Empire.” he said after a while. “It is clear to me that you’re strength comes from something else within you. And that,” he paused, glancing around at the members around him, “if truly honorable indeed. You have the heart of a warrior, Thia.” Thia felt her heart swell, emotion threatening to overflow onto her face. She gripped the bat’leth tighter to focus herself.  
“Then you will understand when I tell you that I deny my position as Head of Krell.” she said, and Gowron smiled as if he had anticipated the refusal.  
“Your path is not for me to control.” He said, and a murmur rippled through the room. “But you must elect someone else of your house to take your place.”  
“I understand. I will consult my half-siblings.” Thia responded, and Togyn visibly shook beneath her. “Togyn,” she continued, addressing her cousin. “I am not the one to take your life. Reclaim your honor, but do so away from the House of Krell.” Without waiting for a response, she bowed to Gowron and began to turn.  
“Krell,” Gowron said expectantly, and Thia turned back around. “The weapon.”  
“It is mine now.” she replied simply, and the conviction in her glare was enough to force Gowron to acquiesce, bidding his head slightly.   
Ryann and Cassidy were standing at the end of the hall, and Thia swept past them, out of the hall, with more confidence in who she was than she had felt in a long time.

***

Ryann was silent as Thia and Cassidy led her through the First City, pointedly disinterested with the easygoing excitement of her right-and-left-hand men. Cassidy was pointing out a pipius claw stand, relating the time he was intimidated into sucking down six before he vomited.   
“Care to relieve the memory?” Thia said slyly, and Cassidy frowned.   
“Absolutely not.”  
Thia looked behind her at Ryann, who was lagging behind them, looking like a wounded puppy. Cassidy flicked his head towards her.  
“She’s been nothing but worried for you this entire time. I think she wants to say something but is worried you’ll hate her for it.” he said, barely above a whisper. Thia sighed and looked back again at Ryann.  
“Captain,” she called, and Ryann’s head snapped up. “let’s go get some raktajino.”  
A minute later and the two Starfleet Officers were seated in a quaint little café off of a side street. Ryann was shocked that such a delicate little place was allowed to exist within the harsh Klingon city, tucked away between a jewelry crafter and a bistro.   
“I…” Thia began, and she felt nausea threaten to choke her. She swallowed and began again, sipping her cup of rakatajino. “I have a hard time accepting that people want to see me for who I am. I have always felt constantly torn between two worlds, too Klingon to fit in with humans, too human to fit in with Klingons.”  
“This entire situation has been extremely embarrassing for me. I hate the fact that it’s drawing attention and shining a spotlight on everything I hate about myself. And I hated looking that way in front of you.” Thia stared at her cup, swirling the thick liquid slowly.   
“I’m not angry with you.” Ryann said, and Thia was caught off-guard at the harshness of her tone. “I’m hurt that you wouldn’t come to me about this sooner.”  
“Do you think it’s easy for me to be half-human, half-Vulcan? Everyday is a constant struggle for me to exist between human passion and Vulcan logic. To feel guilty about feeling anything besides cold dispassionate reason is beyond painful. But I deal with it because I know that I have you. And Cassidy, and Neesa, and every other dumbass on our ship. I can never go back to Vulcan because I’m a pariah. Humans take every chance to make jokes about my lineage. I want to have your back, Thia, because you always have mine.” They both pointedly looked elsewhere, uncomfortable with confronting the feelings that had been pushing the surface for the past few days.  
“I’m really sorry I couldn’t be there for you in the way I should’ve been.” Ryann said, her voice strained.  
“As am I for you.” Thia replied, and a mutual agreement passed between the two in a split second.  
“Anyways, this coffee is super bitter.” Ryann said, sticking her tongue out. “Where’s the sugar?”  
“Baby. Klingons don’t need sugar in their rakatajino.” She said. “It cheapens the flavors.”   
“I hate Klingons.” Ryann said melodramatically, and Thia laughed, the previous tension completely evaporated. 

***

That night, Thia slept peacefully for the first time in weeks, the bat’leth hanging above her bed.

***

To The Stars, Men.


End file.
